Cry Wolf
by StarvingLunatic
Summary: AU. When Mai and Takumi get jobs at a gentleman's club, Natsuki goes in to make sure they're okay. Unfortunately, there's no one to make sure Natsuki's okay...until Shizuru comes along anyway. But, then again, she might just make things worse.
1. Howling mad

I don't own these characters; Sunrise does.

Just to let you folks know, this is an AU. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to the following folks for betaing this story: SweetPixieSmile, HuggyBear6D9, Kruger, and Judamacaby. You guys all rock.

Cry Wolf 

1: Howling mad

"I can't believe we got the jobs!" Mai shouted with a grin, hugging her brother so fiercely it looked like she might snap him in half. Well, at least he had grown some recently, so he was not in danger of being smothered by her breasts, which had been something he worried about when he was smaller.

The short, thin young man, Takumi, did not seem to mind. In fact, he was hugging his redheaded sister back with equal intensity. They both looked overjoyed, their sapphire eyes shining with happiness as they bounced around with delight. They were practically beaming, so some might wonder why their girlfriends did not look the same. Mai and Takumi were with their girlfriends in a small, scarcely decorated living room, trying to celebrate their new jobs, but their girlfriends were not in the mood and had not been in the mood since they found out about the jobs earlier that evening.

The girlfriends' expressions were the exact opposite of the siblings. Akira and Mikoto were sitting on the tiny, beat-up sofa against the wall with deep frowns marring their smooth faces. Akira's frown cut much deeper than Mikoto's as she had a more complex understanding of things. For Akira, she felt like she knew what went on at the siblings' new job and it was enough for her to want to scream…and maybe punch a lot of stuff. Making her all the more frustrated, Takumi did not seem to take her simmering rage into consideration when he accepted the job.

"Mai, why do you have to get this job? I don't like it cuz I won't see Mai as much anymore!" Mikoto whined, pouting with big tears already forming in her amber eyes.

Mai's expression dropped a bit and she pulled away from her brother. Going to Mikoto, she pulled the shorter girl off the couch and to her. Mikoto shamelessly buried her face in Mai's chest while the blue-eyed woman rubbed Mikoto's head, loving the feel of the soft, short ebony hair on her fingertips. Mikoto continued to mutter about not liking Mai's job and not getting to see her as much. Mai smiled a bit, despite her girlfriend's attitude.

"It'll be fine, Mikoto. You'll see. This job is going to make things so much better for us," the redhead promised in a low, very gentle voice, resting her head on top of Mikoto's head to add to the comfort. Orange red hairs tickled Mikoto's cheeks and eased her nerves—for the moment anyway.

"Are you sure you want to take this job?" Akira asked Takumi, who settled down and turned to focus on her. She had her head tilted to the side a little, hoping that the pleading look in her eyes was enough to change his mind. He did not even seem to notice. The usually perceptive young man was totally oblivious to her expression, mostly because of his own mood.

"Of course! This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!" the young man answered with a grin. He and his sister started jumping up and down again. They grinned at each other and went so far as to squeal with excitement.

The noise was starting to get to the other member in the living room that everyone else seemed to have forgotten about. A thin, ebony eyebrow twitched with each bounce from the siblings and when they squealed again, that was the breaking point. A loud, vexed snort escaped the ignored figure sitting in the corner, but that was not enough to get the feuding couples' attention, upsetting the forgotten person even more.

"Why are we having this meeting at my house? I don't have anything to do with this," Natsuki huffed from her space in the corner on a beanbag chair. She could care less what people thought of her taste in furniture; she loved her beanbag chair. It was the most comfortable thing in the whole apartment.

Four pairs of eyes turned to the apartment-owner to see that she was scowling. Natsuki hated when the two couples had meetings in her house because they always had loud fights along with the meetings, using her home as if it were their own. She just wanted them to go home, so she could pretend to study for her calculus test tomorrow and then play video games well into the night. She did not think that it was too much to ask for, but first she had to work on getting them out of her apartment, which she knew would be a difficult task.

"Your house is neutral ground," Akira pointed out, as if it was obvious. She then turned her attention back to Takumi, dismissing Natsuki and her attitude as trivial.

"So is a damn park or café," Natsuki countered in an annoyed tone, but a look from Mai kept her from saying anything further. Her forehead was wrinkled, her green eyes darkened, and her frown got deeper as her irritation grew. Usually, she would not mind them; they were her friends, after all. It was when they decided to use her apartment for couples' counseling that she wanted to throw them all out on their asses…yet she never did.

"What about the fact that you're being helpful? How about that?" Akira asked, only to get on the biker's nerves further, going so far as to smile while asking the question. She knew that there was nothing that she could say that would get Natsuki to drop the attitude.

"To hell with helping. What're you guys so bent out of shape for anyway? You have two employed mates that are gonna make good money. The hell is the problem?" Natsuki countered, rubbing her cream-colored forehead in confusion. She would have thought that everyone would be happy with having employed partners. _What the hell is wrong with my friends? _

"Exactly!" the siblings chimed, smiling because they had someone else on their side now. Well, they thought that they had someone on their side anyway.

"Oh, you must not know where they have jobs at," Akira grated, glaring at the pair.

"Yeah, you don't know!" Mikoto concurred, even though she was not sure what about the jobs made them really bad. Her main concern was as she said; she would not be able to see Mai as often if she was working a full-time job.

"Why don't you ask them where they'll be working?" Akira suggested with a smirk. "You're bound to find it quite interesting."

Natsuki let loose a long, irked sigh and threw her hands up in defeat. "Fine. Where are you working?" she asked the brother and sister pair.

"The Obsidian Den!" the siblings grinned proudly.

The biker, not one to leave her house unless it was for school, food, or new video games, had no freaking clue what they were talking about. She scratched her eyebrow while going through a mental map of the city to see if she could figure it out. Her eyes went wide as she came across the location they meant on her mental map.

"You guys are working in a strip club?" Natsuki screamed in disbelief, jumping out of her chair. She speculated that it might make Mai a lot of money considering how well endowed the redhead was, but she did not see how Takumi was going to make anything with that scrawny body of his.

"Exactly!" Akira jumped up too, glad that someone understood her position on the matter.

"It's not a strip club!" the siblings objected at the same time, throwing their hands up in frustration, having said those words more times than they liked. This was just the latest installment of a very old argument. They had been fighting about it ever since the siblings found out about the jobs at the Obsidian Den. It was weeks of on and off debating and barking with each other. They frowned; their expressions made it very clear that they were related to each other.

"No? I could've sworn it was," Natsuki muttered. Her mouth twisted up in bewilderment. She considered that she might have made a mistake. She had only seen it in passing when she was on her way to nearby video game stores and arcades.

"Been in there before, have you?" Mai teased, a crooked smile adorning her face.

"What? NO!" Natsuki shook her head while a blush burned her face. She would never go in a place like that! Never in a million years!

"Then what makes you think it's a strip club?" Mai asked with an arched eyebrow. Natsuki puffed out her cheeks and decided to bow out of the conversation for a moment. It was none of her business anyway, she told herself.

"That's exactly what it is and you know it," Akira retorted with a sneer, folding her arms tightly across her chest.

"It's not a strip club, Akira. We were in there for our interviews. It's nothing like that. It's a very high-class club with the best equipment in the kitchen and serious cooks there too. The fact that we got the open chefs' positions should be a reason to celebrate instead of argue," Takumi declared.

"It's not high-class! Just because it calls itself a 'gentlemen's club' doesn't mean that there are any gentlemen there!" Akira hollered, surprising everyone with the fact that she raised her voice. She walked over to Takumi and held his hands tightly with hers, as if trying to get him to feel her anxiety since her words did not seem to be getting through to him.

"Please, Akira, don't feel bad about this. It's nothing like how you think it is," Takumi promised, his voice and eyes laced with tender emotions.

"What's a strip club?" Mikoto asked curiously, almost adorably. She was naïve to most things in the world since she grew up with her grandfather in the mountains until three years ago when she was sent to live with her brother, so that she could get a good high school education. She enjoyed living with her brother and liked high school because that was where she met Mai. She was now on her last year of high school, working with much better grades than when she started thanks to being tutored by her girlfriend Mai, who was now on her first year of college.

"It's a place where—" Natsuki was about to explain, but Mai launched herself at Natsuki and covered her mouth with her hand.

"It's nothing!" Mai grinned at her girlfriend and then glared at Natsuki. She then leaned over to whisper in the taller woman's ear. "If you get Mikoto anymore worked up over this than she already is, I'm going to your English professor to tell her that you plagiarized your final paper," she threatened the biker.

Natsuki gulped and nodded to show that she understood. If anybody found out about that paper, she would be thrown out of the university, never get a decent job, and have to move back in with her parents! She would never stay up playing Resident Evil all night again if Mai was going to go around throwing such heavy threats!

"Glad we understand each other," Mai said sweetly, patting Natsuki on the head as if she was good puppy and then the redhead eased away from her friend. Again, Natsuki reminded herself that what was going on was none of her business and decided to stay out of it.

Mikoto growled at Natsuki. "Mine!" she hissed at the older woman.

The emerald-eyed woman scowled and shot Mikoto a glare, feeling it was safer than getting into things with Mai again. Mikoto shot her a glare back, but they did not go any further than that when they noticed Mai glaring at both of them. Understanding the silent order to cut it out, they ignored each other. Mai kept a close eye on them, making sure her girlfriend and best friend did not attack each other, which they had done a few times in the past. Mai wished that they would one day learn to get along.

"Listen, the place really isn't as bad as you guys think it is. Like I said, we went in there and everything. It was very classy, like being at a four-star restaurant with a decent stage show," Takumi insisted.

"A stage show that involves S & M," Akira snapped, making a cutting motion with her hand. She glared at her boyfriend, causing Takumi to gulp.

"There's M & M's?" Mikoto asked with hope in her voice. She loved candy!

"No, Mikoto, it's not the same thing," Mai said with a sigh. She was so glad that Mikoto was so innocent because she was not sure what she would do if Mikoto said the things that Akira was saying.

"Sounds like a strip club to me," Natsuki muttered, but quickly shut up when her best friend shot her another glare. Turning her head, she found that the floor was very interesting all of a sudden.

"It's really not a strip club," Mai asserted, for what felt like the millionth time.

"That's all a 'gentlemen's club' is! I don't see why you guys would even want to work in a place like that!" Akira riposted, folding her arms across her chest again. She turned her nose up while clenching her teeth to the point that it seemed like she would shatter them all.

"Because it's one of the top paying places in the whole city for chefs. The Obsidian Den's actually considered a four-star restaurant on it's own without all that other stuff associated with it. We didn't even see anything going when we went in there. There was no hardcore shows or anything. I think a lot of what you're thinking about just comes from bad rumors going about that are probably made up by rival businesses and people that could not gain membership for whatever reason. The Obsidian Den has a very good reputation," Takumi said. He could not figure out why his girlfriend did not understand that. Of course, they did not know that they did not see any of the true shows that the club put on.

"For being a strip club!" Akira huffed. Yes, it was an exclusive strip club that required membership, but it was still a strip club! She could not figure out what the siblings did not get about that.

Takumi sighed and rubbed his face with his hands, feeling like they were getting nowhere. Mai had the same feelings. Natsuki was just plain annoyed with the nonsense and the fact that it was taking place in the middle of her living room.

"Why don't you guys just go in and see what the place looks like?" Natsuki suggested, speaking to Akira and Mikoto. She thought that would settle everything since they would see if it was just a strip club or the high-class place that the siblings claimed it was. It would also get them out of her house and she could move on with her day. Everyone would win as far as she was concerned.

"We can't," Akira snarled, turning her back to everyone as she started shaking with rage. Mikoto's reaction was only mildly better, her hands balling into tight fists with her blunt nails digging into her palms.

Natsuki's brow wrinkled again, confused once more. "Why can't you? You just walk in there and check things out. Basically, case the joint and then go home."

"It's not that simple, Natsuki. Significant others of any employees are not allowed into the club, not even behind-the-scenes people like chefs," Mai explained.

The biker scratched her forehead, still baffled. "Uh…why not?" she asked. She was starting to not like the sound of this.

"It's a company policy. It was explained to us that they've had some trouble in the past with significant others coming in and trying to do the bouncers' jobs if they see their boyfriend or girlfriend getting harassed," Mai explained.

"What? Nobody better harass Mai or I'll tear them apart!" Mikoto declared, pointing to herself proudly using her thumb.

Natsuki nodded. "I'm starting to see how that might be a good business policy, but it does make the place sound a little creepy. Like the place could be worse than a strip club. I mean, kinda crazy junk goes on there for a no girlfriend/boyfriend policy?" she wondered aloud.

"Exactly!" Akira shouted, turning around. "I'm glad someone around here understands my position!" Akira looked at Natsuki, who nodded in complete agreement.

"Natsuki, really, it isn't that bad. I'm telling you. It's very posh. There are these thick, cushy chairs for all of the tables and the booths are all leather. There's a lounge area and everything. There are beautiful paintings around the place and I was told all of the members are highly respected individuals. It's very classy and I promise you all there weren't any strippers!" Mai vowed, holding her hand up as if she was being sworn in at court.

Akira did not appear to be moved; honestly, Natsuki did not either. Mikoto was not sure what was going on since she did not know what strippers were, but she did know that she was not allowed to visit Mai at work, which bothered her. She was even more troubled now, hearing that Mai might be pestered at work. Mai and Takumi sighed and rubbed their foreheads, unsure what they should do to change the group's mind. It was a stalemate.

The tense silence that filled the room was broken by a familiar noise—Mikoto's stomach growing. Natsuki's stomach followed suit; she rivaled Mikoto when it came to eating. Mai and Takumi smiled; they had an excuse to leave the room and regroup. The siblings walked into the kitchen to make dinner.

Natsuki, even though she did not cook, kept a well-stocked kitchen. Whenever Mai came by, she would cook for everyone there, mostly because Mikoto and Natsuki were always hungry and Mai loved to cook. Although her visits had declined in the past year since she started dating Mikoto, old habits died hard. Also, Natsuki could throw together a pretty good sandwich if her stomach was screaming loud enough, so it paid to have food around to shut her greedy tummy up.

The siblings thought that feeding Mikoto and Natsuki might help get those two on their side. They would show exactly what they were going to be doing at their new jobs and everything would be smoothed over. Mikoto and Natsuki looked happy enough while they were eating; it was the only time they ever seemed to get along. Akira was not so pleasant, glaring at the siblings through out the meal. Despite the glare, Akira's eyes glistened with sorrowful tears that she refused to release.

"I _really_ don't think this is a good idea," Akira said after quietly finishing her dinner and dessert.

"Akira, it'll be fine. Onee-san and I are just going to be doing exactly what we did here. We'll be in the kitchen and cooking. That's it," Takumi replied, hoping that would ease his girlfriend's nerves. No such luck.

Akira hit the table with her palm, shaking the empty bowl in front of her. Mikoto and Natsuki looked up from their meals; they were on their second helping of ramen. Akira started quivering with anger again.

"It's the principle of working some place like that! Surrounding yourself with that sort of scum and acting like it's fine! Coming home with the smell of sweat, shame, and dirt on you and just labeling it work-related! Pretending that the depravity around you doesn't exist and condoning such behavior with your silence!" Akira roared, blinking back the hot tears welling up in her eyes.

"Akira…" Takumi muttered, not sure what to say in response to that. She already had it in her head what she thought of the place and he knew that none of his words would ever change that. "…It's really not that bad. Nothing happened when we were there earlier. It was just a regular place with regular people," he gently insisted.

Akira was unmoved by the words and just turned her attention to the other upset girlfriend in the room. "Mikoto, do you know what type of place this is they're going to work at? Women are paid to take their clothes off in front of fat, sweaty, balding men! These men pay for the women to sleep with them too!" she shouted.

"Mai's not taking her clothes off for anyone…right?" Mikoto asked, big amber eyes locked onto her girlfriend.

Mai smiled softly and lovingly rubbed the top of Mikoto's head. "That's right. I'm not and nobody at the club did that, Akira. You're working yourself up over nothing," she stated calmly. She leaned over and kissed Mikoto on the cheek, earning a smile from the younger woman.

"I'm not!" Akira roared. She was so pissed off that her face was turning bright red and a vein was throbbing from the center of her forehead.

"Akira, do you think I'm going to do something with someone that works there or something?" Takumi asked shyly. He could not even look his girlfriend in the eye while asking that. Instead, he focused his eyes on his nearly empty bowl of ramen.

"No! That's not it at all! I do trust you, but I don't like that place! I just don't think you or Mai-san should working in a place like that! You're both respectable and mature people. You should be able to get a job that suits you," Akira answered strongly. Her expression begged that he believed her words.

Mai and Takumi both sighed and looked away for a moment. Mai opened her mouth to speak, but Takumi put his hand on her shoulder. He stepped forward, figuring that he should be the one to explain since his girlfriend was the more vocal protester.

"Akira, you know we've had a few little jobs in the past and, as respectable as they were, they never paid much. A couple of jobs didn't even want to pay us minimum wage. We can't live like that now and definitely not in the future. Next year when we have to go to college, we wouldn't be able to live off of that kind of money. I wouldn't even be able to afford books, let alone tuition! Life is hard enough, but worse when you're working hard and still a level above begging. This job at the Obsidian Den means that Onee-san and I won't have to live hand-to-mouth like we used to and it's means I'd be able to take care of you and Onee-san could take care of Mikoto," Takumi pointed out and Mai came in.

"The last job I had barely wanted to pay enough for me to buy gum and they wouldn't let me in the kitchen to save my life. I don't think you guys know what it's like to work at a restaurant that you know has bad food and they won't let you in the kitchen to help and they barely want to pay you anything at all. It doesn't help when most of the customers are rude and nasty to you too, not wanting to leave tips no matter how hard you work to please them. Now, I have tuition to worry about and rent too and, believe me, minimum wage isn't going to cut it. I can't even afford to take Mikoto out on a date, so I know Takumi can't afford to take you out, Akira. We'd like to be able to, though. We need real jobs and these are real jobs," Mai explained.

"This is a way to live life without having to worry so much about money and I get to do what I love. I get to bake," Takumi added, just in case that point was missed. He had his dream job, but now he had to hope it did not ruin his relationship.

Akira did not look too moved by the words, continuing to frown. She did shift a little, barely noticeable. She silently conceded that she knew about some of the jobs that the siblings had and she would not wish them on her worst enemy, but she still did not want them anywhere near the Obsidian Den.

"I know you guys would get a lot of money working there, but really, what about when you want to move on? It's not like you can put this on your resume or anything. It is still a strip club where a lot of unsavory things happen," Akira stated, pointing down at the floor as she made her argument.

"Actually…we can and would put this on our resumes. That's how good the kitchen's reputation is. Working as a chef there would be seen as a highlight if we wanted to apply for work at any other restaurant," Mai explained, trying not to sound pushy because she did not want to set Akira off anymore. She also did not want to chance Natsuki chiming in with her opinion.

Yes, the siblings knew that the place had a reputation for being a strip club or whatever, but it also had a reputation for drawing out wealthy people looking to conduct business deals or relax. Because of the clientele, the place was upscale and held things that people would find in normal establishments, including high quality and delicious food. People ate their meals there like it was a real restaurant and very experienced and talented chefs worked there. Mai and Takumi felt themselves lucky to receive jobs there, especially since they did not see anything shady going on. They tried telling Akira that, even before they got to Natsuki's home, but she was not listening then and she obviously was not listening now. It was not that she did not believe them, but that she felt they did not see the whole place.

"Akira, I wish we could put you at ease, but I don't think we can. We need these jobs. The pay is almost double what we've been making at the other odd jobs we've held. And that's just to start off with. With this, we'll be able to afford an apartment of our own when we graduate and go to college," Takumi said. "I know you want out from where you are now. I'm still at home with Dad, but I'd rather be with you. This job can make that happen."

"We don't need to live together so soon if it means you have to work some place like that," Akira replied, eyes cast downward to hide her own disappointment.

Takumi knew that she was lying and he was going to try to get her to admit it. "I want to live with you as soon as possible, though. I would love nothing more than for us to share a home together and I know you want that too. I would love to be able to give that you, to give that to us," he soothed her in a sweet, gentle tone.

"Okay, yes, it would be great to live together, but not at this cost. We can hold off and save. I know it might take a while, but we'll get there," she insisted in a low voice.

"We'll see each other even less than we do now if we do that. I'd have to get a real job no matter what in order to go to college, so that's less time. You'd still be at home and you know your parents would kill me if I showed up at your house. Not to mention, we both want to go to different colleges anyway, so we wouldn't even see each other in school anymore," Takumi pointed out.

"This isn't fair," Akira muttered, putting her head down. Takumi embraced her, cradling her head against his shoulder while resting his head on top of hers. They both looked sorrowful and pitiful.

Natsuki snorted and rolled her eyes to display, but kept any opinion to herself when Mai glared at her. The redhead sniffled a little, keeping tears at bay because she hated to see the younger couple look so pathetic. She turned her attention to her girlfriend, who did not look so happy either. Mikoto was so disheartened that she was no longer eating. The only one at the table that was not troubled was Natsuki, who was quietly eating her food and avoiding her best friend's wrath.

The redhead pulled Mikoto to her and held her close, hoping that it would pull Mikoto out of her depressed state. The golden-eyed teen sniffled a bit when she felt herself pressed against her favorite place in the whole world. She thought about how soon she would not be able to cuddle against Mai whenever she wanted because Mai would be at work, working at some place very bad if she understood correctly.

"I don't want Mai to go some place she could get hurt," Mikoto whispered, sounding on the verge of tears.

"I know. I wish you could just go in there and see that it's not a bad place. We didn't see anything bad or nasty going on. I wish you and Akira could see, so you know it's not what you think," Mai replied in a low, soothing voice.

And then a brilliant idea clicked in Mai's brain, causing her face lit up so brightly that it could have put the sun out of business. No one noticed her expression; they were all still wrapped up in their own situations. She gently pulled away from Mikoto, earning a whimper from the younger woman, but that did not stop her. Then she grabbed her brother, easing him away from his distraught girlfriend.

"I need to see Takumi in the kitchen for a moment," Mai explained hastily and yanked her brother away before anyone could object.

"Onee-san, what're you doing?" Takumi asked with a perplexed expression on his face. "I might have been able to get through to Akira if you would've given me a few more minutes."

"I think I have a solution to our problem, Takumi. I've got an idea that might be able to satisfy both Mikoto's and Akira's curiosity. All you have to do is follow my lead," Mai explained.

"I'm willing to try just about anything at this point," he conceded, rubbing the back of his neck a little. He was unused to dealing with such an emotional girlfriend and after having this argument for the whole day, he just wanted it to be over.

Mai grinned, looking like she was about to win the whole debate. Takumi could only hope that she was right. They marched back into the tiny dining room, seeing the others just as they left them. Mikoto and Akira looking like the world was going to end and Natsuki was still face deep in her giant bowl of ramen.

"All right, the problem here is that Akira and Mikoto can't go in to see that the Obsidian Den isn't a horrible, evil strip club or a whorehouse or something like that where Takumi and I would be exposed to something terrible, right?" Mai asked.

"Yes…?" Akira hesitated, wondering where Mai was going.

"And you both can't go in since you're dating me and Takumi. We had to sign a contract and everything and put your names on a list, so you can't even try to get in or we'll get fired," Mai explained.

"I'd never purposely jeopardize your jobs," Akira agreed. "I'd never hurt Takumi like that, just because I don't think this is a good idea."

"I wouldn't do that either! I don't want Mai to get fired because of me!" Mikoto chimed in.

Mai nodded. "I know." She paused to caress Mikoto's head before continuing. "But, there's nothing wrong with friends going in," she declared with a raised index finger and a clever smile on her face.

They stared at her with blank faces, eyes laced with confusion, wondering where she was going with her words. Mai continued smiling and stroked Mikoto's head again while turning to look at Natsuki, who was still buried face deep in her bowl. Suddenly, Akira's and Takumi's eyes widened as light bulbs went off in their heads as they finally got what Mai was talking about. They began to smile too. In that moment, Natsuki looked up from her meal.

"What? What's everybody looking at me for?" the biker inquired curiously. From past experiences, she knew that whenever she was the center of attention, it was never for a good reason. It usually had to do with something embarrassing. "No, no, no! I don't even want to know! Just the answer is no!" she declared.

"Come on, Natsuki, you're the only one that can do this! All you have to do is go in and sit down for a little while!" Mai insisted.

Akira frowned, but she did not say anything. She would talk to Natsuki later about doing a little more than "go in and sit down for a little while." First, they had to talk Natsuki into agreeing to doing the simple act of going in. Sitting down might take a great deal longer.

"Go in and sit down where?" Natsuki asked.

"In the Obsidian Den, of course," Mai answered, having the nerve to smile at her friend while she said it.

"Oh, HELL NO!" Natsuki answered, screaming it to make sure her stance on the matter was understood. As final as it sounded, Mai continued smiling at her.

Never a good sign.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Natsuki finds herself going in and sitting down in the Obsidian Den, only to catch the attention of a bored, friendly, crimson-eyed woman.


	2. Predator and Prey

I don't own these characters; Sunrise does.

2: Predator and prey

"How do I let myself get talked into this crap?" Natsuki growled to the air, even though she doubted the air heard her over the roar of her bike or through her helmet. Before another complaint came out, she spied a parking spot on the darkened street and eased in. She turned the bike off and popped out the kickstand. She groaned as she pulled her helmet off, revealing a tense, wrinkled forehead. "How, oh how, do I get talked into these things?" she asked the night sky, throwing her hands up as if calling for help from the divine.

She then remembered the promised dinners. Mai basically went down a list of things that she would make for Natsuki if only Natsuki were to do them "this small, teeny-tiny favor that did not even involve something totally embarrassing. After all, you just have to go in and look around." Natsuki snorted. _Yeah, right!_ Nothing was ever that simple! _Damn Mai!_ Actually, she added her stomach to that list because it was what got her into this mess.

"Damn hunger. I gotta learn to cook," Natsuki grumbled as she got off of the bike. Mai had always been able to talk her into things because of the food factor. Sometimes, she just hated her metabolism altogether.

She looked around, surveying the semi-busy street. The warm, night air smelled like popcorn, mostly due to the movie theater on the opposite street, a little ways up. The popcorn was mixed with other food smells as well as fumes from passing cars. Noise blared from cars bumping music, as well as a few clubs and a bowling alley with steady, thin streams of people going in and out of those places. Further up the street were some diners that had a steady flow of customers and were puffing out delicious aromas that Natsuki was tempted to follow. She would have liked to be going to one of those places. But, she was not going to any of them. No, she was going to a place that she barely ever paid attention to—the Obsidian Den.

As far as Natsuki knew, the Obsidian Den was a club of some kind. What she did not know was what kind of club it was; and, truth be known, she really did not want to find out. According to Akira, it was a cheap, nasty strip joint. According to Mai, it was a classy establishment with adult-oriented entertainment.

Natsuki doubted both stories. She was there because she had been bribed with great-tasting food to act as an impartial observer and report back to home-base as to what the place was all about. So, that was the assignment both parties had bribed her for anyway. Unbeknownst to the siblings, Akira had secretly asked her to check on Mai and Takumi to make sure everything was fine with them and they were not being subjected to anything filthy. Natsuki had no problem doing that; she was a bit worried about the siblings herself.

The Obsidian Den was housed in an unassuming two-story building that was the shade of the deepest black. There were a few crimson lights in the front, advertising the place as "the Obsidian Den," but there was not any other color about the place. It was almost like the whole area was veiled in shadow, hidden by the dark. She could not even tell if there were any windows. There was a heavy, sinister feel in the air to Natsuki, but she chalked that up to the fact that she had a clue as to what went on inside of the building. A shudder ran through Natsuki, making her feel like she was in a horror movie.

"Oh, that's brilliant, Natsuki. You're in a horror flick and you're the one that's scared," she muttered with a forced half-smile, trying to shake the ominous feeling overcoming her as she got closer to the building. She lightly bopped herself on the head for the sheer ridiculousness of that worry.

She walked up to the door, curious as to why there was not a line or anything like usual clubs. Pausing for a moment, she took in what she could, listening to hum of music inside, smelling cigar and cigarette smoke over any food that might be in there. This satisfied her that the place was at least open and did have business. Now, she needed to go in and see what type of business it had.

There was an imposing-looking blond woman standing at the front dressed in a nice, designer three-piece suit, which surprised Natsuki. She guessed that the place had to have some class if even the bouncer wore an expensive suit. She now understood why Mai picked out her outfit; she was wearing her best black skirt, which was actually a lot shorter than she realized when she brought it. She had on a white button-down shirt that hugged her body much more than her clothes typically did. She had also been specifically ordered to leave her favorite hoodie at home in the closet "or else." Not in the mood to find out what "or else" was, she followed the command and brought her leather jacket instead.

As she got closer to the black wooden doors, she noticed there was also a brunette woman with glasses sitting in a booth by the door with a clipboard in hand. She paused when she got to the door, remembering that Mai told her that she would have to give her name. This was because no one got into the Obsidian Den without a recommendation from someone already on the inside. It was supposed to be a members' only club and only members or staff could bring in new blood. This struck Natsuki as odd, especially since the place was so cautious about letting in potential problems, like mates. Mai had not been able to explain why people could only get in if their names were on the list, but she went with it. So, Natsuki gave her name—although she was not very comfortable with that—and the door was open for her.

_Not much of a __"__gentlemen's club__"__ if women can just walk in easily_, Natsuki thought to herself.

Honestly, Natsuki was not sure what to expect in a "gentlemen's club"; she always thought that was just a fancy name for a strip club. She had never been to a strip club before, only seeing them in movies or on television. Finding herself in a refined, tasteful lobby, she considered that she might not be in a strip joint at all. She was willing to think that she might have wandered into a luxurious hotel. But, then again, she thought about how it was easy to slap a nice cover onto something to make it look better than it was.

She cut through the well-lit, light-colored lobby that had lovely paintings and an elaborate fountain that looked like it could have come straight from Rome to a pair of French doors at the end of the room. She hoped that she was going the right way, wanting to avoid seeing anything "funny" if possible. A sigh of relief escaped her when she came into the main room of the club.

The main room was a large, high-ceiling hall with crystal chandeliers hanging, but providing almost no light. The atmosphere was dim, but somehow comfortable; well, for the people there anyway. Glancing around, Natsuki saw more expensive artwork, intricate statues, and some interesting things that she never expected to see in a club. There were a few small man-made ponds with the water lit up by different colors and mini-waterfalls trickling through them. There were couches by the ponds beckoned people to sit and speak by the intriguing and well-made structures. Looking down, she saw the floor was decorated with elaborate mosaics and the walls had beautiful frescoes painted on them. The scenes, though explicit, seemed quite tasteful to Natsuki, which was a little confusing. Natsuki was beginning to wonder what type of business the Obsidian Den really was because it did not seem like a simple strip club.

Beyond the decor, there were normal things that Natsuki expected from the restaurant. There were a few polished, onyx tables in the front and center of the hall evenly spaced out, giving people enough room from each other to not overhear what other parties were conversing about. All of the tables had cushy, large chairs, inviting patrons to recline in them. There were more booths than open tables, though. Booths lined with plush black leather were along the walls for those with bigger parties, seating up to eight in a circular pattern with drapes connected to columns. The drapes could be dropped if a party wanted a little privacy. Small candles with lit ends that smelled like cinnamon illuminated the booths and small, green plants decorated the table and tops of the booths. There were other booths on the floor were tiered and had high backs to the seats to cut off parties from each other, but did not obstruct the view of the stage. There was even a balcony section on each side of the hall. Almost every seat seemed to be set up so that patrons could focus on the stage without disturbing their own private affairs.

At the head of the room was a wooden, large, elevated stage, like they put on plays at the club. Natsuki had a sneaking suspicion that if they started performing "MacBeth," she would have to make a run for it considering what was going on the stage right now. Emerald eyes quickly looked at the tiled floor to avoid seeing anymore of the stage show while a blush burned her porcelain cheeks.

Without really having to look, Natsuki knew that most of the patrons were smoking. The smell was not enough to get to most, but she had a very sensitive nose. Seeing clearly, even in the dim light of the club, she observed that most of the customers seemed to be dressed in semi-formal or business-like attire. She guessed that was what made it a "gentlemen's club" aside from the fact that over ninety-percent of the patrons were male. All of the servers were very beautiful, scantly clad young women or handsome, almost-nude young men. They were all being touched by some patron or another; many in manners that would get them arrested if they were outside. Besides groping the staff, many patrons were occupying themselves by playing cards, or conversing with each other, or dining on rich meals. It was like they were just hanging out…in a restaurant with a very poor dress code for employees and the most perverse dinner-time theater in existence.

"Hmm…maybe Akira had a point. I wonder if Mai saw this place when it was open or just getting ready," Natsuki muttered to herself as one of the servers walked by her and openly leered at her. The biker gulped and tried not to look like a rabbit in a den of wolves. _I'm no rabbit__. That would be stupid, after all, and I'm not stupid_.

Natsuki continued to slowly make her way through the club, ignoring the stares coming from men and women alike, staff and patrons alike too. She wondered where the kitchen was and if they would let her see her friends just for a moment to make sure everything was fine with Mai and Takumi. She also wanted to make sure they were not being forced to wear skimpy clothing or being harassed by clients or even other employees.

-8-8-8-8-

Crimson eyes scanned the crowded the room, like a lioness surveying a herd of zebra. Those eyes were not necessary looking for weak members of the group, although that would be fine if they did come across such a creature. The weak ones always shelled out the most money for the smallest amount of attention, but they were not very amusing. These eyes wanted an item of interest; entertainment was more important than money.

The predatory gaze locked onto what seemed like an odd sight in the Obsidian Den—a lone girl barely out of her teens. Women did not typically frequent the Obsidian Den. When they were as young as her object of interest, they usually came in herds, as if that made the visit less in someway; she was not sure what they were trying to lessen. The lone female clients generally were older and rather successful, much like the men. In fact, sometimes it was hard to tell the difference between the two, which was all well and good…if one liked normalcy and complacency. Not words many would associate with a gentlemen's club, but it was what the owner of the crimson eyes thought. Change was good.

"Ara, ara, Shizuru, you continue to look like that and I'll except you to start growling," Anh commented impishly as she came up behind the crimson-eyed stalker. She rested her head on Shizuru's shoulder, bending down a bit because she was taller than Shizuru. They had similar tan-colored hair, but Shizuru's was longer and she had bangs while Anh's was cropped, a little lighter, and pushed back. A playfully naughty smile settled on Anh's heart-shaped face, mirroring the expression on Shizuru's features.

"I think I've just found a playmate for tonight," Shizuru replied in lighthearted manner. Her eyes sparkled at the idea of having someone to keep her company instead of the other way around.

Anh's gaze swept out onto the wave of people, trying to spot who she thought was Shizuru's "type." The young woman was not hard to miss, wandering around the area like a disconcerted, deserted puppy, completely at the mercy of the sharks surrounding her. Anh chuckled a bit.

"She is quite adorable," the taller brunette decided, nodding.

Shizuru chuckled a bit. "I agree, which is why I am going to go see what a girl like her is doing in a place like this."

"I'm sure she'll wonder the same about you."

"Well, I would just tell her the truth. I'm here to meet cute women," Shizuru joked, earning a soft snicker from her companion.

"You need to get moving before someone else snatches her up and sends her running for the door." Glancing over at the young woman again, Anh was stunned that she had even made it as far as she did without fainting considering her expression.

Shizuru chuckled, even though she knew that was the truth. She was aware that if someone came on too strong that girl would definitely bolt; she just had that look about her. Shoulders squared and confident smirk in place, she was off to ensnare the newcomer with a self-assured sway in her hips.

Natsuki was trying to figure out where the kitchen might be in the place when Shizuru seemed to just appear before her. The ebony-haired girl yelped while Shizuru smiled brightly. Natsuki took a step back and arched an eyebrow, wondering why the hell this other girl was eyeing her. Senses on high-alert, something about those crimson eyes screamed "danger!" but her smile and aura put Natsuki at ease…a little anyway. Not enough to make her want to stay too close.

Shizuru put her finger to her chin. "I don't think I've seen you around here before. Are you new to our little club?" She seemed affable and her smooth voice touched something inside of Natsuki. This feeling kept the biker from running.

Natsuki did take a step back, cautiously eyeing the svelte woman. "Uh…yeah. What's to you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly, making her seem even more skittish.

"Nothing. I was just making a note that I have not seen you around here before. I hope I can do everything to make your stay here enjoyable. Is there anything I might be able to do for you that might make your stay worthwhile?" Shizuru asked, holding her hands in front of her, her palms pressed together. Thankfully, she spoke in a jovial tone rather than a sexy purr because Natsuki would have bolted before she finished speaking.

Emerald eyes glanced down, considering escape, but deciding against it just yet. "Uh…I don't need anything. Just checking the place out."

Shizuru nodded. "I hope that things are to your liking so far. Have you been seated anywhere or had anything to drink yet?"

"No…" Natsuki was about to take another step back, but she was just a little too slow. The fact that she was too slow was enough to surprise her, but the shocker was when the other woman actually touched her. Shizuru reached out and took her by the hand. Natsuki's eyes fell to look at the slim hand clasping her own. The ebony-haired teen looked ready to panic from the contact. Shizuru smiled a little, as if the anxiety radiating off of Natsuki was adorable.

"Please, let me show you to a seat and we can talk for a while. It'll be pleasant," Shizuru promised.

Natsuki was too baffled to form a coherent thought in order to properly object. Before she could get her head together, she found herself being gently pushed into a small booth. Shizuru slid in next to her, smiling sweetly at her. Natsuki barely blinked while regarding this very weird woman—in her opinion anyway. Part of her was telling her to watch this strange creature, but another part of her was telling her that it was all right to relax. She listened to the first part, preferring to err on the side of caution.

"May I order a drink for you?" Shizuru asked Natsuki.

"Uh…I'll have a coke…" Natsuki answered. She did not see anything wrong with having some soda while she was there. She could scope the place out from there and check on Mai and Takumi later.

Shizuru smiled and could not help the next thing that came out of her mouth, "Cute."

Natsuki glared at the crimson-eyed stranger. Shizuru continued to smile as she waved over a waitress and sent her off to get Natsuki's cola. She then turned her attention to this odd girl that ordered soda in a nightclub and did not seem to be looking for any company.

"So, what brings you to our delightful little club?" Shizuru asked, hoping to drum up conversation this time around.

"Just checking things out," Natsuki repeated with a shrug, watching Shizuru with noticeable trepidation due to the fact that Shizuru was repeating herself. Well, it was the partial truth. She did not see the point in telling this stranger her real business, but she did not see the point in lying either. It was not like she planning to see the stranger again since she doubted that she would ever be in the club again.

"Do you frequently check out nightclubs or are we just lucky?"

Natsuki snorted out a light chuckle. "If you put things that way, I guess you're lucky."

Shizuru let out a soft laugh; it sounded almost like music and made Natsuki's ears twitch. The ebony-haired girl was clever and Shizuru was happy to see the biker start to relax. The sound of the laughter made Natsuki noticeably loosen. The sound was so melodious that Natsuki unconsciously leaned forward a little to avoid missing its next sweet occurrence.

"I feel lucky, but then again, I feel that way much of the time. What about you?" the tawny-haired female asked, an amused half-smile tugging at her lips.

A snort precluded the roll of jade eyes. "Yeah, I've got all sorts of luck with me. Mostly bad."

"Now, that I find hard to believe." Shizuru moved a little closer, smiling more when her new companion did not move away.

Natsuki rolled her eyes again. "Believe me, I was born under a whole constellation of really bad stars. My mom says it's because I was born when there was no moon in the sky."

"I'm sure she's just teasing."

"Hell, no, she's not. At least not about how unlucky I am anyway."

Shizuru smiled and she managed to keep Natsuki talking. The soda arrived while Natsuki was in the middle of an example of how bad her luck was; it was not the story about how she ended up in a so-called gentlemen's club. It was actually worse.

"…And that's why I don't trust cats, birds, or children with unibrows when they're all in the same place. Oh, and mustard," Natsuki said seriously, pulling her soda closer to her.

Shizuru released an unrestrained, but elegant laugh as soon as the tale was over. Natsuki was not annoyed or upset with the laughter. She did not even feel like the lovely sound was coming at her expensive. Strange.

"That's not too bad," Shizuru tried to assure her new friend. Her eyes shone as she spoke, not from amusement, but sincerity. It was this shine and the ability to tell it was from Shizuru's genuineness that kept Natsuki talking.

"Nah, I've had worst things happen to me, but I'd rather not share how much of an idiot I can be," Natsuki commented before taking a long gulp from her soda. She was starting to get hungry too; she was tempted to order something to eat. Maybe a burger would hold her until she got back home, she considered. _The food can't be too bad with Mai back there_.

A small smile continued to grace Shizuru's face. "You make things sound worse than they are. I'm sure of that."

Natsuki shrugged, as if trying to brush that off. Shizuru took that as a challenge and openly declared that she was going to prove that Natsuki made things seem worse than they were.

"All right, Natsuki, think of it this way. If it were not for that demon child with the unibrow and jittery birds, you would have had to spend all of that time with your grandmother and the fact that you described her as a 'crazy old bat' I am sure you didn't want spend your whole Saturday with her," Shizuru pointed out in a calm tone.

"Yeah, but I did have to spend my Sunday at home sick because of that little brat making me go into that pond!" Natsuki huffed, frowning as she recalled that horrible day. Now that she thought about it, she could not believe that she shared that tale with a total stranger.

"Would you rather be home on Sunday or with your grandmother on Saturday?" Shizuru asked.

Natsuki shot Shizuru a glare, answering the question without saying a word. "Okay, fine! But, my bad luck is not some twisted form of good luck in disguise," the pale woman argued.

An impish smile worked its way on to the taller woman's face. "I don't know, Natsuki. It certainly seems that way," she countered with a playful hum.

"Oh, yeah, you might have been able to do that with that little story, but what about this…" Natsuki started into a new story, wanting to prove Shizuru wrong.

Shizuru listened patiently once again. By the end of the story, involving a high-strung horse, a crazy monkey, and a troop of boyscouts, Natsuki looked smug, thinking that she had Shizuru now. Yet, that impish smile that seemed to dance on Shizuru's on face remained. The biker gulped before Shizuru even started speaking.

"Natsuki certainly does have grand adventures. But, these adventures seem to always come out in your favor," Shizuru commented.

"I broke my arm!" Natsuki argued.

"And was able to get a new motorcycle afterward."

Natsuki's mouth practically hit the floor because Shizuru was right. It was because of that accident that she was able to afford her new motorcycle. The biker silently cursed to herself, noticing that she was giving herself away with the deep details of her story. The next one that she went into involved fighting with Mikoto, sinking a ship, and having to pay for the damages. Shizuru was silent through the whole story and found the silver-lining in this one easier than any of the others.

"You say this is how you met your best friend? I am sure you two will be friends forever after meeting through such extraordinary circumstances," Shizuru stated in a gentle tone.

The ebony-haired woman could not even argue that one. It was great luck for her to meet Mai, even though the busty redhead got her into more trouble than she ever would have on her own. Natsuki decided that it was time to switch gears for a moment. She started asking Shizuru about herself and Shizuru seemed happy enough to share, especially since Natsuki did not pry too deep.

"No, my parents really do not have a problem with me working her," Shizuru replied to a curious question from her companion about her parents feeling toward her current employment.

"I guess you either never wear stuff like the waitresses, you don't go on stage, or you lied to your parents about what the hell you do here," Natsuki commented bluntly.

Shizuru let loose a light laugh, causing Natsuki's ears to twitch again."I would never lie to them. They know exactly what I do here and they have no problem with it. My father even visited once. The place really isn't his cup of tea. Mostly because we didn't serve tea when he was here." She laughed again; Natsuki had a feeling that she was missing a joke of some kind here.

"Your parents are weird."

"Well, they are weird, but we thoroughly enjoy tea. In fact, I almost did not work here because there was no tea. I made sure that changed." Shizuru held her chin high with pride. Natsuki figured out that tea obviously meant a lot to Shizuru and her parents. It was not something that Natsuki could understand since she was into any drink with artificial flavors.

The conversation continued on with them learning little things about each other. Natsuki did not seem to notice much of the time how easily she answering questions about herself; she was mostly distracted by Shizuru's pleasant expression and demeanor. Five large sodas and a couple monster-sized hamburgers later, Natsuki glanced at her watch and realized that she needed to get her ass home because she had things to do in about six hours. "Oh, shit!" she hissed under her breath.

"Is there a problem?" Shizuru asked curiously.

"I've got to get home. I've gotta meet my folks tomorrow morning…well, more this morning. Tonight was so not the night to be out until dawn," Natsuki cursed herself. She did not think that she was going to be out so late, which was why she had agreed to meet with her parents in the morning.

Shizuru smiled again. "I'm glad you decided to stay out with me. I thoroughly enjoyed talking with you. I hope that you'll come back soon and sit with me again," she said, a sincere twinkle in her eyes.

Natsuki regarded Shizuru curiously for a moment. "We'll see," she replied in a very noncommittal tone. She suspected that Shizuru only wanted her to come back for business reasons, even though the sparkle in those red eyes told a different story. Natsuki did not think too much on it at the moment and rushed out of the club, thinking about how she was not going to have much sleep and her parents were probably going to notice, which meant tons of questions.

Only later on when Natsuki got back home did she realize something—she had not checked on Mai and Takumi. As soon as she had this revelation, her phone rang and she groaned to see that it was Akira. After a brief internal debate, she answered.

"Kuga here," she grunted.

"Good, you're still up. Did you actually go to the club?" Akira inquired.

"I did."

"And?"

Natsuki scratched the end of her nose and was glad that no one was around to see how deeply she was blushing. Even though she had spent all of her time talking to Shizuru, she had seen enough to put the Obsidian Den light-years beyond a "gentlemen's club." She felt like that was like calling a bar a "self-medicating wellness center." But, then again, she was not too sure what the Obsidian Den was.

"Um…the food is really good there. It is like being at a restaurant. I mean, really good," Natsuki said because it seemed like the safe answer. It was true too, which made her understand Mai and Takumi's argument just a little bit. Unfortunately, other things that she witnessed there just blew their argument out of the water.

"Okay. Did you see Takumi?" Akira inquired.

"Uh…I couldn't find the kitchen…" Natsuki answered. It seemed like the best thing to say rather than informing her friend that she was distracted the whole night by a rather intriguing club worker.

"What? Fine, then tell me what the place was like beside the fact that the food was good. I want to make sure that strippers aren't bothering Takumi and corrupting his good senses or freaking him out or something like that. He's just so naive that I don't think he'd know how to handle anything crazy. I don't want him to be traumatized or anything. God, I don't even want to think about how messed up he would be if he has to work in some cheap whorehouse because he thinks we need money that badly! He's so sensitive and I don't want him to end up hurt." She sounded a little panicked and Natsuki could tell that she was pacing, hearing the little taps of her feet on the hardwood floor.

Natsuki scratched the end of her nose again, trying to think of something to say that would ease her friend's frayed nerves. "Uh…"

"Natsuki, did you even go? You probably chickened out at the door and just made this thing up about the food."

"Hey, I did go! The food was good and the place looked like something out of the Roman empire with all this expensive artwork and junk. Yes, there were plenty of guys there. There were some women too and the waitresses wore really skimpy outfits, like French maid costumes, but red and worse! The waiters had almost nothing on at all! There was a stage show that would've been banned by HBO!" the biker huffed.

"What!" Not only was Akira's voice loud, but it went up several octaves from shock.

Natsuki winced as if she had been punched in the face; she had not meant to let that bit of information slip. "Look, calm down. I didn't see any kitchen staff while I was there, so it's a pretty safe bet that they all stay in the kitchen. I know Mai wouldn't want to expose her little brother or even herself to a lot of the stuff there. I think that when they went in for the job interviews, they probably just saw the club setting up or something because I know it wasn't much of a gentlemen's club," she explained, just so it did not seem like the siblings lied. She knew that they would never intentionally deceive their lovers.

Akira was silent for a moment. "They interviewed in the afternoon and when Takumi came home, it was six, so they probably didn't see much. Still, I don't like this. Natsuki, you've got to go back there and make sure they stay in the kitchen!" she begged.

The biker groaned and rubbed the back of her neck. "I dunno…"

"Please!"

"Akira, why don't you just trust Takumi," Natsuki replied. She thought that love was all about trusting each other and all of that other mushy junk.

"I do trust him. I just don't want anything to happen to him. He's so…naïve. Sometimes, Mai is too. I mean, look at how they went into this. Instead of finding more out about the club, they just assumed it was all right because of the reputation of the chefs and food without considering anything else. So, I really just want to look out for them. I don't want them to walk into something they don't expect and get scarred for life or something."

Natsuki sighed; that made almost too much sense to her. Although, she did note that it was perfectly fine for her to be scarred for life, which she was thanks to that stage show. "Uh…you're right. Okay, I'll go back and make sure they stay back there. I mean, I think that it is a good job for them and everything because the food was good, but the place itself is definitely more than Mai thought." Actually, "definitely more" was a major understatement. Mai obviously did not know what went on in the Obsidian Den during business hours.

"I hope people don't freak out when they see their resumes after this," Akira remarked.

"Well, if it's just about the food, I think they should be all right. I mean, the burger I ordered tasted worth the twelve bucks I paid for it. Can you believe that? Twelve bucks for a burger and a coke cost five for like a tiny cup!" Natsuki ranted. She definitely left the club poorer than she went in, but her stomach was very happy with the outcome.

Akira chuckled a little. "Thank you, Natsuki."

"It's okay. They're my friends too. You guys might as well be family for me," Natsuki admitted. _Why did I say something so mushy?_ _I must be overtired or something_. "And speaking of family, I need some sleep. I've got meet up with my parents tomorrow and that's always like wrangling rabid wolves."

"All right. See you later, Natsuki."

Natsuki just disconnected the call. She sighed as she stripped off her clothes to get ready for bed. She tried not to think about the fact that she had to go to the Obsidian Den again, but amazingly enough, it did not seem as bad as before. Maybe she would see Shizuru again, but she quickly shook that thought away. _She wasn't really interested in me. I was just work for her_. That thought sobered her and she vowed that the next time she went to that place, she would do what she came to do and never have to go back there.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Natsuki finds herself back at the club. Will she do what she came there to do or will she be distracted once more?


	3. Full moon

I don't own these characters; Sunrise does.

3: Full moon

Natsuki was incredulous that she was in the Obsidian Den for the second time in a week. She never thought that she would come within ten feet of the place in one lifetime, so it really seemed weird to her to be there two times with visits barely a week apart. Still, she needed to make sure that Mai and Takumi were all right working in the kitchen and not in the crazy shows. Honestly, she was certain they were not in the shows because she was aware that they were too modest for that. Still, she worried for them. She hoped that they did not even see the shows. She really had no desire to see the shows either, but she was going to have to put up with it until her mission was complete.

With a powerful stride, she stepped into the main hall and radiated an aura that screamed "stay the hell away from me." It seemed to work because she was moving through the booth-lined walkways without anyone getting in her way. She kept her eyes away from the stage at the head of the room, gathering from the music that a show was about to start. For the first time in her life, she wished that she was at a regular strip joint. _God, I hope I never have to have _that_ thought again!_

Despite deliberately ignoring the show, her sharp ears were still picking up sounds. The noise from the show assaulted her brain, disturbing her mind with very embarrassing and totally unwelcomed thoughts. To preserve her peace of mind, she focused on surrounding discussions, which were almost as unsettling. A light blush stained her cheeks as all kinds of sordid tidbits reached her ears and she could not help wondering just how many different ways there were to proposition someone for sex or talk about sex in general._ Just how many kinky positions and games can people talk about in one place?_

Moving like a dog tracking a scent, Natsuki continued her search for the entrance to the kitchen—any entrance would do as long as it got her out of the main hall. From every direction, odors set siege to her; thick smoke, heady perfume, choking cologne, all blitzing her. Some of the scents she refused to think about, but they made her consider holding her breath until she was outside again. To block out the more offensive smells, Natsuki moved through the smokiest areas. Mostly to block out everything else, Natsuki tried her best to inhale the smoke. Some of the cigars smelled pretty good, so it was an easy choice, but she conceded that things were rather awful when she was happy with breathing in smoke.

Natsuki thought that she glimpsed a narrow opening on the side wall that might lead her to her friends when out of the corner of her eye, something familiar caught her attention. It was just a flash of tawny hair and a wonderful scent, a heavenly mixture that caused Natsuki to pause. She shook her head, hoping to clear her brain, when Shizuru confidently approached. The taller woman was sporting a soft smile that seemed so genuine that it threw Natsuki off on her conclusion that Shizuru had no personal interested in her._ No, no, no. I'm looking too hard. She's not into me at all. I'm just a mark for her, a high tip or something like that. It's gotta be something like that_. Still, that dazzling smile made the biker reconsider. _I could be wrong_.

"Natsuki, you've come back," Shizuru said, smiling brightly. She clapped her hands together a little, like that helped her keep composure.

The emerald-eyed female was stunned that Shizuru remembered her name. "Uh…yeah…" she replied. She could not think of anything better to say. _Real smooth, Kuga, real smooth_.

"I'm so glad to see you again," Shizuru proclaimed, crimson eyes shining with sheer elation.

Natsuki fought against the urge to roll her eyes or say something smart, even though she was not sure why. _Maybe it's because of the damn sincerity that never leaves those damned beautiful red eyes!_ "Uh…it's nice seeing you again too," the reply sounded awkward, stumbled through because Natsuki was too busy realizing that she mentally commented that Shizuru's eyes were beautiful. _Calm down, Kuga. A little bit of false attention and you're losing your mind…not that it seems false_.

"You're not going to sit and talk with me again, are you?" Shizuru inquired with a pout that she wanted to be fake, but things worked out differently.

Shizuru wanted the pout to be a tease, but something held the playfulness at bay. It was subtle, but Natsuki could see it, sense it. Beyond the impish glint in those strawberry irises was a hint of sadness. Natsuki suspected that she was seeing something almost no one ever saw, something private, something deep. She did not know what to make of it or what to do with that information. So, Natsuki tried to press through the moment, thinking that things would go back to normal—whatever normal was between them.

"I have something that I need to do and then I've got to be going," Natsuki explained briskly, trying her best to sound business-like. She needed to get going before she was tempted to look onto the stage and find out why it sounded like someone was cracking a whip. She willed herself not to develop a mental picture of what might be going on.

"What do you need?" Shizuru asked curiously, tilting her head slightly.

"I just want to check on my friends."

"Friends? You know people that work here?" Shizuru blinked in surprise and her forehead wrinkled a little as her eyes unconsciously drifted toward the stage. She could not believe it, not with the way that Natsuki acted.

"They work in the kitchen."

"Oh!" Shizuru nodded; that one made sense. A tiny smile of relief worked its way onto her face and the furrow lines disappeared from her forehead. Solace flowed through her that Natsuki did not know one of the club's performers, servers, or other employees. "Our wonderful kitchen staff. They make some terrific foods, especially the new boy that makes desserts."

"You mean Takumi?" Natsuki asked. Desserts were Takumi's specialty. Oh, she hoped like Hell that the kitchen staff did not mix with the rest of the place because she knew that Akira would snatch him off of this job faster than the speed of light if so.

Shizuru nodded again and her eyes shone as she thought of the new employee. "Yes, he's so adorable." Her voice was practically a delighted chirp.

"How do you know him?" Natsuki inquired, craning an eyebrow. She almost gulped, thinking that Takumi might already be getting corrupted by the staff here.

"I'm at the club long before and after this outside group works. I do more than you assume, Natsuki, I'm sure," Shizuru answered, causing the shorter woman's brow to wrinkle.

"What're you like the manager or something?"

Shizuru laughed a little, the sound made Natsuki lean a little closer. "I would go with 'or something.' My friend actually owns this place and I keep an eye on it for him to make sure things run smoothly. Not just with the show, but with everything in general." She motioned with her hand, as if the simple gesture explained her job more than her words did.

Natsuki's face scrunched up. "Why? I'm sure you could find a much better job."

"Depends on your definition of 'better.' Besides, I like this place somewhat. It's not my ideal job, of course, but it is interesting. I do like meeting new and interesting people and working here allows me to do that. I also get to network a bit, which is always good. So, you're here to check on Takumi?" Shizuru asked. She purposely brought the conversation back to Natsuki's mission before she let her mouth get ahead of her. She was more keen on working at the club than she let on, but she thought that saying as much would scare Natsuki away.

"And Mai. Is that all right?" Natsuki asked, feeling a little eager now that she was close to getting her mission out of the way. She was also anxious to find out if her dear friends were being exposed to what was going on in the club around them.

"Are you seeing one of them?" Shizuru asked as if she were intrigued, even though she knew the answer to that. Mai and Takumi were the most recent employees hired and Shizuru remembered them rather well. She recalled the names that they put down for their significant others—Mikoto Minagi and Akira Okuzaki respectively. They had also provided pictures of their girlfriends, which Shizuru could not forget because she thought both girls were adorable. Natsuki was also quite adorable to her, but in a very different way .

"Uh…would you believe I got roped into this by their significant others?" Natsuki groaned and put her hand over her face. She shook her head a couple of times before looking up again, hoping that she did not look as dumb as she felt.

Shizuru shook her head. "You know, we have that rule in place for a reason," she playfully reprimanded the biker.

"Well, I think you'd lose a lot of business if you banned good friends too. I just want to make sure they're not going to see anything too crazy around here. I mean, you might be used to it, but we're really a low-key bunch," Natsuki explained.

A soft smile graced Shizuru's face. "I can imagine. I'll show you to the kitchen and you can even talk to them if you want. The kitchen staff is very devoted to their jobs, which is why the club is almost as well known for its food as its entertainment. If it eases Natsuki's mind, we can go see."

Natsuki opened her mouth, but was not sure what she wanted to say, especially since Shizuru threw her thoughts off by referring to her by name, even though she was standing right there. The reason her mouth even opened was because she felt like she needed to always have a smart remark for Shizuru, as if that would somehow keep the tawny-haired woman at bay and reinforce the tough-girl image Natsuki was trying to portray. Since she did not have a retort, Natsuki closed her mouth. Besides, Shizuru started walking off, which did not help Natsuki's thought process. Shizuru led Natsuki to the kitchen, but stopped before they got to the area. She turned to regard the biker.

"Now, if I let Natsuki see her friends, what will she give me?" Shizuru asked, a twinkle in her crimson gaze.

Natsuki blinked hard and shied away, even hunching over a little as if she was cowering. "The hell?" she squeaked out. _Great, I sound like a mouse. Mom and Dad would disown me if they could see this!_

"I am sort of breaking the rules for Natsuki. After I do Natsuki this favor, what will she give me in return or was Natsuki just planning to run out on me?"

"What do you want from me?" Natsuki growled, trying very hard to sound tough. It was hard to do with her back teeth chattering together.

A devilish smirk appeared on Shizuru's face. Natsuki gulped as a lone sweat bead seared down her pale cheek. Shizuru reached out and Natsuki barely stopped herself from flinching. Shizuru wiped away the sweat, gently stroking Natsuki's face while she was at it.

"Natsuki, do you really think so poorly of me? I just want your company," the taller woman explained, hand still against the biker's cheek. Silently, she noted how soft Natsuki's ivory skin was. She longed for the opportunity to caress it at her leisure and to discover if all of Natsuki's beautiful skin was as downy soft.

"Just company? Nothing more?" Natsuki inquired suspiciously, eyeing the hand on her face and fighting two different urges at the moment. Part of her wanted to yank her face away from Shizuru, but she did not want Shizuru to know that she made Natsuki nervous…even though she was pretty sure that was no secret. A larger part of her wanted to press her cheek into Shizuru's hand because the light touch felt wonderful, almost tender and intimate.

Shizuru removed her hand to press her hands prayerfully together. "Why, Natsuki, do you think I would take advantage of you?" The smile on her face made it seem like a "hell, yeah" was the appropriate answer, but Natsuki was able to keep that response to herself.

"What makes you think you could?" Natsuki countered with an arrogant smirk. For some odd reason, all of her usual confidence seemed like mere bravado with Shizuru. She was not sure what she would do if the taller woman called her bluff. She hated to think that she might actually run whimpering into the night just because she did not know how to handle Shizuru or not being able to intimidate a person.

Shizuru giggled. "I actually don't think I could, but I would have fun trying. I really do find you interesting, Natsuki. I want nothing more than to sit and talk with you. Perhaps watch you inhale another hamburger or two."

Natsuki sighed, but she gave in. Shizuru could get her to the kitchen without any trouble, so she figured it was best to just do what Shizuru wanted. Now, yes, she could have sniffed out the kitchen and found the siblings without any help, but there was the chance of getting in trouble on the way. After all, she could be harassed by one of the servers or attract attention from some perverted patron. It would probably be best to stick with Shizuru if only to avoid a scene with some drunk, disgusting customer. After all, she did not want to get thrown out before her mission was complete and she did not want anyone calling the police on her. Yeah, so it was best to follow Shizuru.

Shizuru continued her leading and Natsuki followed behind her. They cut down a corridor that was obstructed from view and guarded by a man that did not look twice at them; Natsuki figured it was because she was with Shizuru. Down the hall, they came to twin doors and were almost mowed down by a rushing waitress. The young woman gave a quick, humble apology, which was mostly directed toward Shizuru. The pair waved her off and stepped through the doors.

Suddenly, they were in a bustling kitchen. It looked like the kitchen that Natsuki imagined any restaurant kitchen would look like. Teams of chefs all dressed in white, and even wearing those chef hats that Natsuki thought were only for TV. The walls were tiled white, as was the floor. Everything else was stainless steel and despite the bee-like business and deliciously smelling food, the kitchen was immaculate. Her mouth started to water and she was barely able to keep her tongue from lolling out of her mouth as magnificent aromas assaulted her. Inside the large kitchen, chefs were working on all sorts of meals, preparing raw meat and fish, dicing vegetables, stirring soups, putting things in ovens, taking things out of ovens, and even rolling fresh dough. Natsuki could not believe what she was witnessing; _they actually make their own bread in this joint? _She had to consider that she might have died at some point and was actually in Heaven rather than the Obsidian Den.

It was hard to believe that this fabulous kitchen was part of some place like the Obsidian Den. In fact, she almost could not believe such a kitchen existed period. All of the workers were hustling purposefully about or working on their own tasks. They were putting painstaking care into everything that they were doing too. It was crystal clear that everyone there was very professional.

Natsuki spotted Takumi before she saw Mai and smiled at the sight of the young man decorating his latest creation. She scanned the area for Mai and found the redhead was standing by a stove. Mai's back was to her, but she was clearly working hard on whatever she was cooking. Natsuki started to back out and almost walked through Shizuru.

"Oh, sorry," Natsuki said, stepping aside and continuing to back out.

"You don't want to talk to them?" Shizuru asked curiously.

"No, they're working and they're both very professional. I don't want them to know I'm checking on them too. It would hurt their pride because it makes it seem like we don't think they can take care of themselves," Natsuki explained, exiting the kitchen. Shizuru followed her and they walked back toward the main hall.

Shizuru smiled. "That is very sweet that you're worried about them."

Immediately, a growl escaped Natsuki's throat. "It's nothing like that."

A laugh wanted to leave Shizuru, but she held it in, not wanting to offend Natsuki anymore than she had. Silently, she admitted to herself that not only was it cute that Natsuki wanted to check on her friends to make sure they were all right, but it was downright adorable that she wanted to pretend that it was no big deal.

"Was everything to your liking?" Shizuru asked, purposely changing the subject and getting the desired effect almost instantly. Natsuki calmed down, thinking about her friends while they were working.

"They looked happy. They're definitely in their element. I just worry about what they might do if they get curious as to what's going on out here," Natsuki admitted.

"It's very rare for the kitchen staff to leave the kitchen. The employees around here can be a little cliquish," Shizuru answered.

"You mean like in high school?" the pale woman asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Yes and no. It's just that you often find that you have more in common with those that you work closer to. The cooks feel like they relate more to each other. The waitresses are the same. Those that work our shows, if they are regulars tend to socialize with each other more than anyone else here. The companions, as we call them, are the same, and then they break up into their own crews."

"Companions?" Natsuki echoed.

"All of the girls that you see sitting with the patrons. They are the companions. They're paid to keep those people company."

Natsuki blinked. "And how do they break up into cliques? Isn't it basically the same job or is it because they'll only hang out with certain types of people?"

"It's complicated. Let's sit down somewhere and I'll explain it to you as best I can," Shizuru replied.

The biker nodded since she had promised to hang out anyway. Besides, she was a little curious as to how things worked in the club. Shizuru picked a corner for them to sit in and made sure that Natsuki's chair made it so that her back was to the stage. Natsuki smiled a little, immediately recognizing the woman's kindness, earning a knowing nod from Shizuru.

"Should we order you some soda before we start or do you think you'll make it through tonight without the sugar?" Shizuru inquired, a laugh in her voice that made her eyes shimmer.

"I think I'm going to need some soda and food just to make it through this night and to make sure I can keep ignoring what's going on behind my back," Natsuki remarked with a sheepish grin. With luck, the conversation would be engaging and her ears would not be focused on whatever was going on up on stage, no matter how much she tried to pretend it was not there.

Shizuru chuckled a bit, but motioned a waitress over. The young woman zipped over with an avid look in her face and an enthusiastic bounce in her step. Natsuki had not noticed it before when she was there, but thinking back on her other visit, the waitress before had acted much the same way. The wait staff radiated submissive obedience and dutifulness to the patrons, but went beyond that for Shizuru; it was obvious to Natsuki when the wait staff did it for customers, it was an act to add to the atmosphere, but it was not much an act for Shizuru. Shizuru pointed the waitress in Natsuki's direction for the order.

"I'll take whatever cola you have and a hamburger with extra mayo," Natsuki said. She then glanced at her companion. "Uh…you want something?" she asked curiously.

Shizuru paused from surprise and then smiled. "I'll have a salad."

The waitress nodded and ran off while Natsuki turned to Shizuru. "Are you the boss around here?" the biker asked.

"I am something like the boss. I make sure the place runs smooth when the boss is not here. He is not here today, so I am in charge. When you were here before, he was here, so I was not the boss, merely one of several managers that do not have to do much when the boss is around."

Natsuki nodded. "Okay. So, what do you do as the boss?"

Shizuru smiled. "What you see me doing now. My job is almost over when we open. I supervise the setup before the customers show up. I have to approve everything or improve some things. I have to make sure everything runs according to plan and for the most part everyone has their acts together once the place opens. I float around from time to time to keep a check on things, but I like to think that the staff can handle itself for the most part when the doors open and people began coming in. Most of the time, they prove me right and everything is flawless. So, once everything and everyone is in place, I can sit down and enjoy the company of a beautiful woman." She flashed another small, sincere smile to her present company. "When it comes time to close, I have to do the same thing as when we open."

Natsuki tried hard not to, but blushed despite herself. "I bet you pick up a lot of women."

"I do all right for myself. I'm sure you're not hurting for affection either."

"I'm more focused on my studies right now…" Natsuki muttered, ducking her head a little in embarrassment. She was never any good at taking those sorts of compliments.

"Oh, you're in school. What're you studying?" Shizuru asked curiously, leaning forward to make sure she did not miss the response.

"Uh…I thought we were going to talk about the cliques you have around here," the biker pointed out, not very comfortable with the idea of talking about herself right now. She lifted her head and attempted to not worry about a blush coloring her face.

"Oh, yes, that," Shizuru sighed dramatically, but noticed that was not getting her anywhere with Natsuki. She decided to continue on in her normal voice after that. "So, as I was saying before, most of the staff tend to stay close to others with similar jobs. The companions split in different ways because there are different personalities. There really is nothing for them in their jobs to unite them. There really is nothing for them to bond over aside from sharing similar clients, but even that is really nothing to them. There are some who look down on the girls that go upstairs—" and the explanation was cut off right there.

"Go upstairs? Why is there an…" Natsuki's eyes widened as she figured that one out. Shizuru giggled a little from the expression. Natsuki leaned in close. "You're kidding, right!" That was supposed to be a whisper, but Natsuki was so flabbergasted that most people within a yard radius could have clearly heard her if they were paying her any mind.

"No. Does that bother you?" Shizuru inquired with teasing smile.

"Um…no. Do you…um…go up there?" Natsuki asked curiously, sitting back and attempting to regain the minuscule amount of composure she had within the Obsidian Den. She drummed her fingers against the table and tried her best not to look away as she waited for an answer. Emerald eyes strayed to the rug around the table for just a moment, but quickly went back up to Shizuru's face.

"No, never. I don't judge the ones that do, but the companions that don't go up there tend to look down on the ones that do."

"Uh…is that even legal?" Natsuki asked.

"I don't see anything illegal about a woman deciding she likes her company for the evening and wanting a little privacy. What they do upstairs is their business," Shizuru replied with a little shrug. "No one is forced to go up there, not by the staff and not by patrons. If someone feels like they're being threatened or pressured to go upstairs, there are hand signals or passwords for them to alert bouncers. This also gets the patron banned for life."

Natsuki nodded. "It seems like you guys are trying to be pretty classy, but it's still just a sex place. I mean, I don't even want to ask you what the hell is going on behind me on that stage." The noise alone was enough to make her want to run home; she could pick up her bike tomorrow when the place was closed.

Shizuru shrugged again. "Some of us are a little more sexually adventurous than others."

Natsuki was about to argue, but her food and beverage arrived. Shizuru used the interruption as a chance to change the subject. She shifted the conversation from the club to Natsuki's schoolwork. The change was done so flawlessly that Natsuki did not even realize that she was talking about herself when she started.

"I'm going to school for engineering," Natsuki informed her companion.

Shizuru nodded, even though her expression showed clear surprise. "I never would have guessed that," she replied honestly.

"I know. Most people don't expect me to have a brain, let alone one capable of scientific and mathematical thinking."

Tawny locks fluttered as Shizuru shook her head. "I have no doubt that you're capable. I will say you don't fit the image of many of the engineers I have met, but then again, I have met most of them here," she said with a light laugh. Natsuki nodded, but did not offer more, so Shizuru pressed on to continue the discussion. "Do you like engineering?"

"Love it. I like almost all of the classes I have to take for it…even though I'm not the best student in the world when it comes to studying and stuff like that," the biker admitted in a sheepish mumble.

"Now _that_ I can see, but I imagine that you get very good grades," Shizuru commented. There was a deep intelligence in those emerald eyes and she recognized it. She desired to explore it in depths, pick it and Natsuki apart, and put it all back together again. She could not help it because Natsuki was so intriguing. She unconsciously leaned forward in her seat, not wanting to miss any piece of information about her companion.

"I do pretty well." That was said with a nonchalant shrug.

Shizuru suspected that Natsuki was being modest, which she thought was quite darling, but decided to take the conversation in a slightly different direction that calling Natsuki on her humbleness. "You like school, I bet."

"Uh…kinda, yeah, I do." Natsuki realized as she thought about it. "I mean, I love staying home and playing video games and all, but I like going to class and learning new stuff. I like getting what I need to know in order to be an engineer."

"I think you'll be an excellent engineer, Natsuki. I can see it in your face that you have a passion for your work." The fact that the compliment was said in earnest and quite seriously got a slight blush from the ebony-haired young woman. Natsuki noticed that Shizuru had control of the discussion and she knew that if she let that go on, she would be blushing a lot for the entire night. So, she decided to grab the reins and shift gears.

"Hey, do you go to school?" Natsuki asked her companion.

"I graduated recently. I handled my undergrad in three years. I couldn't figure out what business school I wanted to go to for graduate school, though. So, until I get myself sorted out, I'm working here," Shizuru admitted.

"So, you don't want to work here for the rest of your life?"

Shizuru laughed; it sounded so light and delightful. "Heavens, no. I like this place, but I don't see myself here forever. I don't even see myself here five years from now. This was better than floating in space while trying to figure out where I wanted to go to business school, though. I mean, even _I_ get bored sitting at home."

Natsuki nodded. It was her turn to unconsciously lean forward, just in case Shizuru laughed again. "At least you have a plan. I actually don't really know what I want to do with my life. Once I graduate from school, I'm screwed."

"I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I better. My parents'll never let me forget it if I'm not."

"Poor Natsuki." The statement was made with a small smile, so the words seemed to be a tease.

"You don't know my parents. They like to act like I'm the last hope for our family or something," Natsuki commented with a sigh. She put her hands behind her head and leaned back.

"Are you?" Shizuru inquired curiously.

"No. I've got a little sister and she's something. I guess my parents want me to set a good example for her. I love the kid and everything. I try my best. I don't know. I always feel like…I just don't measure up…" Natsuki admitted with a sigh. She never told anyone that and she guessed that she was all right telling Shizuru since she doubted that they would ever see each other again.

"I'm sure they don't mean to make you feel that way. Why do you feel like you don't measure up?"

Natsuki scratched her head. "I just don't feel like I've ever done anything for them to be proud of me for. I mean, I've done what's been expected of me and everything, but nothing that really stands out."

Shizuru's brow furrowed. "You stand out plenty. You're an amazing person from what you've told me about yourself. Your grades for one; I know they're good from the look on your face when you tried to downplay it. You say you love your little sister and try to do the best for her as you can. You have no idea how many people would not even try for a sibling. The fact that you came here to check on your friends is another reason you are truly amazing. You shouldn't sell yourself short."

Natsuki smiled a little. "Thanks, Shizuru."

"It's easy to tell the truth," the tawny-haired woman remarked with a small smile.

The ebony-haired woman blushed a little, which broadened the other woman's smile. Shizuru tilted her head to the side, much like a curious pup, and she put a finger to her cheek in contemplation. She found that she could not resist Natsuki for some reason; the college student was just adorable to her.

They spoke long after their food was gone and, surprisingly, Shizuru was the one that had to cut things off. She had to supervise the closing, just to be sure everything went smoothly and everybody that was not supposed to be there left. Shizuru sighed as she stood up.

"Natsuki, I have to put in a few minutes of work. Do you think you might come back here sometime?" Shizuru requested. Right now, she knew it would be ridiculous of her to ask for Natsuki's phone number or something like that. She doubted that Natsuki would call her if she passed along her own number.

"Uh…" Emerald eyes looked off to the left. "I don't think this is a hobby I can afford to get into with just the price to get through the door. Never mind the price of food once I get in here," she remarked. She was lucky that Mai put in a word for her to get in that first time or she would have used the cover charge as an excuse to leave the first time since she did not know anything about the Obsidian Den.

"If it's just about the cover charge, I can handle that for you. Please, I enjoy seeing you and talking with you." Shizuru clasped her hands together like a beggar and her eyes implored the biker for more company. She was attached to the biker and something inside of her assured her that if she worked at it, they could at least be friends. Of course, she was sure that she wanted more than a friendship.

Natsuki squirmed in her seat. "Uh…I guess I can try…" she conceded_. Shit, how can I say no to those eyes?_

"Please do. I'll make sure the front knows you're my guest, so you don't have to worry about the cover."

"You don't have to do that," Natsuki objected. She did not want to get Shizuru into any trouble or anything.

"I want to do it, just as I would like to see Natsuki again. I hope that you do not make me wait too long," Shizuru said with a coy glint in her eyes.

Natsuki found herself gulping and something tugged inside of her. She duly ignored that reaction and decided to get out of the club before she managed to make an ass out of herself somehow. Shizuru watched the young woman leave and pouted; _I wanna spend more time with Natsuki!_

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: Shizuru and Natsuki get closer, even though some trouble stands in their way.


	4. Over the moon

I don't own these characters; Sunrise does.

4: Over the moon

"Cute girl with green eyes at three o'clock," Anh quipped, coming up behind Shizuru.

An elated, bright smile lit up Shizuru's whole face and she turned quickly to the right, hoping to see Natsuki. The happy expression dropped off of her face when there was no Natsuki, only one of their regular customers. Crimson eyes glared at Anh.

"Not funny," Shizuru huffed, holding her arms across her stomach and frowning.

"Oh, you have it bad for your straight-laced little biker chick," Anh giggled.

"I thought she would come by again, but it's been weeks." Shizuru sighed and her shoulders slumped while her frown turned into a genuine pout. The other brunette was not used to seeing her dear friend in such a state of melancholy; Shizuru really did have it bad!

Anh put her arm around the sunken shoulders. "Calm down, Shizuru. I'm sure she'll be back. It is about time for finals and if she's anything like we were in school, she's cramming for those tests. I'm sure she'll be by soon. After all, you're irresistible." That declaration was made with a smile. Anh also bumped her friend with her hip, hoping to get rid of that disappointed expression if nothing else. It did not work.

Shizuru desired to shake her head to disagree. She had not been feeling too irresistible since a certain porcelain-skinned young woman left the Den some weeks ago and had not returned as promised. Yes, plenty of patrons and other people treated her as if she was an enchanting goddess and indescribably precious, but the one person that she longed for attention from was not one of them. The one person that she wanted was not even around, had not been around for a while now, and she was not sure if she would ever see that person again.

Never having to deal with that before, she was at a loss. Her ego was somewhat damaged and her mind wandered often, attempting to piece together what happened and why she felt the way that she did. Crimson eyes shifted to the floor, as she tried to get herself together, but she just fell into despair, thinking that Natsuki did not want to see her again. Her stomach flopped at the idea that Natsuki disliked her, even though she thought that Natsuki's interest in her was real; Natsuki was too easy to read for her to fake it. Along with the slightly sick feeling, Shizuru felt depressed because she could not take action about things. She did not know where to find Natsuki and, even though she had the means to find out, she did not exercise them because she did not want to violate Natsuki's space. She knew that the younger woman needed to be handled gently, so she had to wait for Natsuki to come to her. She felt defeated by that knowledge because she just could not do anything. She feared that Natsuki would not seek her out again and she would be left with all of these negative feelings.

While Shizuru was left feeling lost and forgotten, Anh scanned the crowd. A cat-like grin appeared on her face when she spotted shiny, onyx hair near the entrance. As the figure got closer, Anh wanted to laugh, noting the innocent, slightly-bothered expression on smooth, creamy features. She could practically see a thought-bubble over the patron's head, "Shizuru, come out and save me!" This made Anh's grin turn into an amused smile.

"Hmm, I do believe that you are quite appealing because here comes short, pale, and biker," Anh commented, taking a nip at Shizuru's ear.

The implication behind the words caused Shizuru to lift her head. Hope shined in her ruby eyes, even though doubt clouded her heart. She considered that Anh might be joking with her again, but she _needed_ to be sure. The expression that conquered Shizuru's face made it seem like her soul was smiling. Anh felt the delight radiating off of her friend, who seemed to be so happy that she was stuck on pause. Well, time to get Shizuru moving before Natsuki gave up and ran out of the Obsidian Den.

"Go get her!" A playful, but heavy slap on the ass got Shizuru moving with a yelp.

Shizuru made her way over to Natsuki, who looked like a wary puppy—as usual. Shizuru could not help smiling at the sight of the younger woman. There was something about Natsuki—maybe it was that she seemed so naïve, sweet, and innocent—that just captivated Shizuru and drew her in like a magnet. _It's Natsuki who's irresistible!_

"Natsuki, it is a pleasure to see you again," Shizuru chirped, clapping her hands together as she stood before the biker.

Natsuki turned to face the taller female. "Shizuru, I was looking for you…" She tried hard not to blush at that admission, but she could just feel the hot burn on her cheeks to let her know that she was blushing.

"I'm glad that you came," Shizuru replied, unable to hide the sincerity in her voice or in her eyes.

Natsuki nodded and smiled, silently letting the taller woman know that being truthful with Natsuki was the way to go. Shizuru led her off to a booth in the corner that she had prepared for _if_ Natsuki ever returned. The booth was situated against the wall and there was a plant that blocked the view of the front stage. This way, Natsuki could chose where she wanted to sit without having to worry about seeing what was happening during the show. If Natsuki noticed, she did not say anything as she slid into her seat, but she did smile. The tawny-haired woman smiled too as she sat across from the biker.

As soon as they were settled, Shizuru made a small hand movement and a waitress was at the table in a flash. "Could you bring out a hamburger with extra mayonnaise and a large coke," she requested. The waitress nodded and was off just as quickly as she appeared. Shizuru turned her attention back to her guest and noticed the light blush coloring Natsuki's face.

"Most people don't notice I like extra mayo on stuff…" Natsuki muttered. She was touched by the fact that someone would remember that fact about her. "In fact, a lot of people think it's nasty."

Shizuru smiled. "Well, I wouldn't order extra mayonnaise on anything that I eat." She paused and gave Natsuki a sly look that did get the biker's heart to flutter. "But then again, I get the feeling that I wouldn't eat as much red meat as you do too."

Since Natsuki was in a sex club and Shizuru had a suspicious look on her face, a blush invaded cream-colored cheeks as Natsuki immediately assumed Shizuru meant something dirty. But, after a second, sensing that Shizuru did not mean anything by it kept Natsuki relaxed. She laughed a little to get rid of the blush and to play it off. She was not uncomfortable around Shizuru anymore and she wanted to show that.

"I'm sure you're right about that. I'm definitely a steak-and-potatoes type of girl. The hamburgers in this place are really good and they always load up on mayo when I ask for extra. Most places seem to ignore that part," Natsuki explained.

"Our chefs aim to please, you know that. We also use the best ingredients for everything, as demanded by the chefs. So, where have you been, Natsuki?" Shizuru inquired curiously.

Natsuki let out a snort, throwing her hands up. "Finals. My last one was yesterday. I had a lot of studying to do, pulling a bunch of all-nighters. Before that I had to write, like, five papers that I put off. And they were long! I suck at time management! I spent this whole semester playing video games and junk, so I had to catch up on work."

Shizuru smiled, just relishining in Natsuki's words. She felt like she could listen to Natsuki complain all night and not mind. Of course, she would add in a few teases here and there, but still, she just wanted to be there with Natsuki. _I do have it bad, but I really don't mind_._ I just know that I am safe with her. I don't know how I know, but I just can feel it in my bones and in my soul. I suppose it helps that I am very comfortable with her because she is so honest with me, in her expressions and her words_. She doubted that Natsuki would take advantage of her emotions, unlike many other patrons at the club.

"So, no more school. What will Natsuki do for the summer then?" Shizuru asked with interest.

Natsuki scratched her cheek a little and shrugged. "Probably play video games, like always."

Shizuru threw on an exaggerated pout. "Oh, so Natsuki will not come visit me more often?"

The younger woman smiled and chuckled a bit. "I should've known that was coming. You really want to cut into my video game time, huh?"

"I would love to! I quite enjoy Natsuki's attention if you hadn't noticed. Besides, if you don't come by and see me, I might actually have to do some work. What a bore!" Shizuru playfully scoffed, throwing her head back to add to the drama.

"Ah, God forbid you would have to work, huh?" Natsuki asked with a small, teasing smile.

"I would much rather sit and talk with you. Honestly, I am often prone to laziness, I suppose most would consider it. I don't think of it as such. I enjoy staying in and lounging on the sofa with a cup of tea. That's my passion."

Natsuki tilted her head to the side, something akin to a curious pup. "Funny, you seem like a hard worker to me."

"Ah," Shizuru smiled and wagged a finger at Natsuki. "I have plenty of people fooled into believing so. I have no problem with hard work, but I just prefer to lay around. I figured that you would understand that, considering I know you get good grades, but you would rather play video games all day." Of course, she did work to the best of her ability whenever she did something, but if left to her own devices, she felt like she might never leave her sofa, except for tea and a book.

Natsuki nodded, giving her companion that point. "I guess you're right about that. I mean, I work hard and everything, but there's always something else I'd rather do. So, is that what you do when you're at home? Just chill out and drink tea?"

"Indeed I do. I have a few TV shows that I like, but mostly I just curl up on the couch with a good book and a cup of tea."

"You do seem sorta like a bookworm. I like reading too. You know, when I'm not playing video games and everything. I read a lot of comic books, which most people think suits me, but I like sci-fi books too."

Shizuru nodded. "And what do you read that most people would not expect?"

Natsuki glanced away for a moment. "…Uh…I read romances…"

"That's nice. I read romances too. Sometimes, when it's raining out and I have the night off, I curl up with one of those cheap, trashy novels."

Those lovely emerald eyes went wide with some shock, but then Natsuki laughed. Shizuru smiled because she could tell the laugh was not at her expense, just from surprise. The conversation was paused when Natsuki's food was delivered. While Natsuki took a moment to test her food, namely biting into the juicy burger, Shizuru silently observed her companion. She noticed that Natsuki did not seem freaked out about the atmosphere of the club anymore and, up until the time the food came, Natsuki was obviously focused solely on Shizuru. This pleased Shizuru to no end, filling her with a warm, gentle feeling.

"So, what else do you do to fill your time, Shizuru? Do you play video games at all?" Natsuki asked curiously, after making sure she swallowed her food. She had a feeling that Shizuru did not play, but Shizuru had surprised her a couple of times tonight, so she wanted to see what other secrets Shizuru was hiding.

"No, it was never a hobby of mine. I think I would like to watch. It would be something to do while sipping tea," Shizuru replied with a small smile. More specifically, she would like to watch Natsuki play. She was sure that would be more intimate for Natsuki than many other things.

"They're really fun," Natsuki said.

"I have no doubt." Shizuru paused and decided to put herself out there just a little. "Perhaps one day you will show me the joy of video games," she suggested.

The biker gave a nonchalant shrug. "Sounds good. I have a lot of time on my hands now that school is over."

"Wonderful," Shizuru replied with a controlled smile.

Conversation continued to flow between the pair. They spoke about their hobbies for a little while longer, not really revealing much more than they already had. Moving on, they discussed movies for a short while. By the time they were talking about movies, Natsuki's meal was gone. The porcelain-skinned female did not seem to notice that she had eaten everything and just continued talking. On occasion, she reached first for things on her plate, only to find everything gone. Her stomach was not deterred and her hands found other things to devour.

"Should I order you another hamburger?" Shizuru asked. It had only been an hour since Natsuki devoured her first meal, but the biker had also inhaled the bread at the table and both of their desserts. She used a very tricky puppy-pout to pity Shizuru out of chocolate cake.

"Um…I promise I'll pay for it all," Natsuki insisted.

Shizuru shook her head. She did not care about the money. It was just that she noticed Natsuki had been eyeing the table mints as if she was waiting for them to walk across the table and jump into her mouth. "It's fine. I get the feeling that Natsuki is an expensive dinner date," the ruby-eyed manager quipped with a light laugh as she waved another waitress over. She ordered another hamburger and soda for the biker.

Natsuki scratched her head. "I usually pay on the very rare occasions I go out on dinner dates. I've got a really high metabolism."

"Do you eat a lot of junk food?" Shizuru could guess the answer to that.

"All the time. If Mai doesn't cook for me, I just eat junk food…a lot," Natsuki admitted.

"Maybe one day…I could cook for Natsuki," Shizuru offered tentatively. It seemed like a good time to test the waters and see if Natsuki wanted something beyond meeting and speaking at the Obsidian Den. She was a bit nervous now that it was out there, though. What if Natsuki did not like that idea, after all? She felt a little at ease with mentioning it since Natsuki had seemed open to showing her video games, which would mean she was open to meeting out of the Obsidian Den, but cooking for someone was different than video games.

Green eyes blinked hard in surprise. "You cook?"

"A little. Of course, for Natsuki, I would learn to cook everything under the sun." A sanguine smile quickly adorned Shizuru's face.

Natsuki felt like she melted under that beautiful, bright expression. The shining smile and sparkle in those carmine eyes caused Natsuki's heart to speed up and blush burned her creamy cheeks. This broke Shizuru and she could not fight her desire any longer. Slowly, she reached across the table and touched Natsuki's cheek. The biker did not flinch, but her pale cheek turned a scarlet more intense than the brunette's eyes, as the tender fingers caressed her face.

"That is an adorable color," the older woman commented in a warm voice. _Natsuki is so soft. I would love to feel her cuddled against me!_

Natsuki swallowed convulsively, but did not pull away from the gentle, sweet touch. Shizuru sighed, reveling in the contact, wanting it to go on forever. The world vanished and they were the only two people in existence with warmth flowing between them, connecting them…if only for a few seconds. Anh seemed to appear out of nowhere—as far as the pair was concerned—and went right to Shizuru, breaking the serenity.

"Just a little warning, your favorite customer just showed up and guess who she's looking," Anh informed her friend, reporting in a teasing sing-song type of voice.

Shizuru tensed, removing her hand from Natsuki's cheek. She looked beyond her friend, scowling when she saw what Anh was talking about. She was not looking forward to what she knew would happen, especially since she was having such a good time with Natsuki and she had gotten Natsuki to relax. She turned her attention back to Anh.

"Why do you continue to let her in here?" Shizuru inquired curiously, eyes pleading with Anh, even though it was hard to tell because Shizuru was trying to put her mask back up. She was going to need the mask.

"Why do you insist it's _me_?" Anh countered, looking just a touch insulted.

Shizuru shook her head. "I'm sorry. Keep her busy, please," she requested in her most polite tone.

Anh nodded and smiled, rushing off. Shizuru sighed and turned her attention to Natsuki, noticing her understandable look of confusion. Shizuru offered her a small smile and cleared her throat.

"A patron has arrived that enjoys my attention," Shizuru explained, sounding a little cold.

"I figured they all did," Natsuki remarked with a smile. She silently admitted to herself that she even enjoyed Shizuru's attention. The good-natured quip did get a tiny smile out of Shizuru, lifting her spirits a little.

"This is true. She more so than others, though. Often, I do not mind giving her the attention. She tips well, being an heiress and all. But, tonight I would like to just focus on Natsuki," Shizuru commented with another soft smile. She reached across the table again and covered the biker's hand with her own. The warmth and connection that they felt before returned immediately.

Natsuki smiled, wondering about the sudden comfort that she was experiencing. Emerald eyes fell upon their joined hands. The heat seemed most intense at the slim hand on top of hers. She wondered if Shizuru could feel it too. The small, content smile the other woman wore was enchanting and Natsuki took it as a sign that Shizuru felt it too.

The smile vanished as a cheerful—yet chilling—voice clawed through the peace of the moment. "Shizuru-onee-sama!" the voice called out.

Natsuki winced, yelping in a low tone. The overly enthusiastic voice rang, like the screech of nails dragging across a chalkboard. Shizuru frowned deeply—possibly for the first time since Natsuki met her. Natsuki was tempted to inquire what was wrong with Shizuru, but the voice called again. They both turned in the direction of the voice.

The biker bit back a growl, glaring as a green-haired young woman with a vivacious grin approached. She scowled, knowing the expression was directed at Shizuru. An instant fury burned in her as the newcomer eased herself next to Shizuru, blatantly and totally ignoring the emerald-eyed woman.

"I've missed you so much, Shizuru-onee-sama!" The newcomer cheered, throwing her arms around the poised brunette. Natsuki let loose a low rumble.

"Tomoe-chan," Shizuru said with a blatantly false smile. She turned to the younger woman, attempting to pry her away. She did not want to seem at all attached or attracted to the younger woman, especially with Natsuki sitting right across from her. Yes, she explained that Tomoe was a patron, but she was not sure how Natsuki would take seeing Tomoe paw at her the whole night and she truly did not desire to find out how Natsuki would take it.

"I'm so glad to see you, Shizuru-onee-sama," Tomoe purred, nuzzling Shizuru's shoulder.

"Tomoe-chan, I'm here with someone," Shizuru pointed out.

Shizuru motioned across the table. She caught sight of Natsuki's deep, biting scowl. The expression was so stormy that she would not be surprised if Natsuki flung the table aside and tore Tomoe to bits with her bare hands. She felt gratified and flattered from that. She was not the only love-struck puppy. She hoped this meant that there could be more to her and Natsuki. Now, she just needed to do damage-control to make sure Tomoe did not ruin her progress.

Tomoe glanced at Natsuki and turned her lip up at the biker. Steely grey eyes shot disgust at the other woman sitting with Shizuru. The air around them seemed to grow dense and pop. Natsuki's hair appeared to slightly stand on end as if it was charged with static electricity. This did nothing for the smug look on Tomoe's face.

"Shizuru-onee-sama is mine, so you should go crawl back under whatever rock you live under while she and I go upstairs," the young heiress cackled, tightening her arms around Shizuru, constricting the older woman's breathing. She moved her head to rest against the brunette's partially covered breast. She puckered her lips suggestively.

An all-consuming rage erupted in Natsuki, completely engulfing and devouring the warm calm that had just been floating through her. Fury flooded and almost blinded her senses. A guttural snarl tore out of her as a predatory haze hardened in her emerald eyes, locking onto Tomoe. Breathing coming in heavy pants, hot blood bellowed in her ears, burning her soul. Instincts howled inside of her as she nails dug into the wood of the table, cutting grooves into it. Her muscles tensed, seconds away from flinging the table across the hall. She leaped to her feet, glaring death down at Tomoe with cold green eyes, making Shizuru pause from throwing Tomoe off of her. Everything seemed to just pause before Natsuki did something unexpected.

"I gotta go!" Natsuki yelped suddenly, turning quickly and making for the nearest exit.

"Natsuki, wait!" Shizuru cried out, jumping to her feet. She flung Tomoe off of her to give chase after Natsuki.

Her cry only seemed to make the biker flee more quickly. Shizuru ran outside, thinking that she would catch the other woman, but when she reached the street, there was no sign of the younger woman. Crimson eyes blinked, fighting against welling tears. A chilling breeze whipped past, mocking her.

"Natsuki…" Shizuru whimpered and buried her face in her hands.

-8-8-8-8-

The crisp night air kept cut into Natsuki as she pounded the pavement of the street and curled behind a thick tree that was used to give a touch of green to the city. Panting, her chest heaved and her tongue poked out slightly. She shook her head and her hands, trying to loosen up. If her heart beat any faster, she was certain that it would break her ribs. Sweat rolled off her forehead, flying off of her in large drops. After a few seconds, her body stilled, but her breathing remained labored and sweat beaded her brow.

"Shit! I almost completely lost it! That little bitch pawing at Shizuru was driving me nuts!" Natsuki growled. Her breath quickened as she thought about that girl touching Shizuru, molesting Shizuru, taking Shizuru upstairs— "AH!" She buried her face in her hands to rid herself of that image.

Counting slowly to ten in her head helped calm her down and ease her breathing. Her heart resumed a normal pace. The sweating even stopped as she finally started to gather herself. She then reminded herself that Shizuru said that she never went upstairs. She believed Shizuru.

"Look, Shizuru is always down on the floor when I come in, down in the main hall. She's never hard to spot when I come in. She's never shown any signs of going upstairs or wanting to go upstairs. I have never even seen her look at the stairs, except maybe to check on one of the employees going up there. I mean, seriously, I have seen her doing her job much of the time and it never even involves her having to sit with a patron. Sometimes, sure, she'll talk to them and everything, but she has to be hospitalable. If she was rude, then customers wouldn't come back more than likely. Or they might complain to Shizuru's boss and get her in trouble. She's not one of the companions, so she doesn't even have to go upstairs or anything. She's not like that. She's not. She said so. Business just demands that she's nice to the customers. It's that easy, that simple," Natsuki insisted, speaking out loud, as if that made it all real.

Repeating those words over and over in her mind, she did her best to stay calm. Still, her emotions raged and swirled inside of her. A voice inside of her actually commanded her to go back into the Obsidian Den and do what needed to be done, but she shook that off. She could not do _that_. She would probably scare Shizuru off, she told herself, if she went back in there. At the very least, she would get Shizuru in trouble if she returned to the Obsidian Den. No, she needed to get away, especially as her heart rate increased and it sounded like her blood was rushing through her ears.

Natsuki stopped in the Obsidian Den's parking lot, pausing by her motorcycle and once again contemplating going back in. She stared at the building for a long while, as if hoping to see through the wall and see what was happening to Shizuru. Guilt gnawed at her belly for being a coward and fleeing rather than standing up for what was hers._ Mine? Yes, mine! _Temptation beckoned her and tore at her. Instincts barked at her, screaming at her to go back in there and show that Shizuru was hers. But, as she recalled Tomoe molding herself to Shizuru's side, her breathing increased and she started sweating again. The loss of control over a mere thought told her exactly what she needed to do: get the hell out of there and regroup.

She mounted her motorcycle and pealed out of the parking lot. She did not look back, knowing all she would see was temptation and instinct in her wake. If she looked back, she was certain she would turn around and all Hell would break loose. She would lose it, which would lead to her probably losing Shizuru. No, she could not look back. Right now, space would make everything better. Space would make everything right for now.

Once she was wrapped in the safety of her apartment, she exhaled. She tossed her keys on the coffee table while flopping down onto her sofa. Head ducked down, shaking hands went through ebony strands. Her hand went out and grabbed the phone without thinking. She dialed a number in the same manner and was surprised to find it ringing in her ear.

"Hello?" a grumbling female voice answered the phone.

"Hi, Mama…" Natsuki mumbled.

"Natsuki-chan? What time is it? Is something wrong?" her mother inquired, sounding very alert now. Natsuki was willing to bet that her mother was shaking her father awake at that moment.

"Nothing's wrong, Mama! Well, nothing serious anyway." Well, she would like to believe it was not serious.

"You're calling at midnight and you want me to believe that nothing's wrong?" her mother asked, skepticism oozing from her voice.

"No, I'm just a little unsettled. I almost lost it today in front of a room full of people," the biker confessed, pouting a bit from embarrassment.

"And?" her mother asked with interest.

"…because of a girl." A low groan followed that confession.

"Ah." The small noise held total understanding. "Well, Natsuki, you didn't lose it. Obviously you have some control, which is good. I think holding it in the first time is the best time. It's unexpected and the most emotional usually. Or is that not what you're worried about?"

"I'm not sure. I just freaked out a bit. I wanted to do so much and my emotions were all over the place. I just wanted to...claim her...or something..." Natsuki's forehead wrinkled and she scratched the top of her head. She felt so confused. _The story of my life_.

"Do you want to explain it all to me? I can tell in your voice that you're wearing your 'Help me, I'm lost face.'"

A familiar yelp escaped Natsuki. "I don't have such a face!"

Her mother laughed a little, sounding somewhat dazed from sleep. "You do, but as I said, do you want to explain what happened more specifically?"

There was a sigh. "I'm not sure, Mama. I don't know if happened because I was jealous or it felt like someone was touching my property—" she was cut off right there.

"I assure you that was not the case. You don't feel like she's your property. I could explain to you everything right now, but you haven't given me enough information. Knowing you as I do, I suspect you want to work this out on your own."

Natsuki nodded a little. "I think I would like that."

"Always the lone wolf, my little Natsuki." There was a small sigh that made Natsuki feel a little guilty.

"I just think I work things better out when left to my own devices. Sorry I called you and woke you up. I just freaked out so much..."

"Natsuki-chan, everything will be fine, I'm sure. Should I give up on grandchildren, though?" her mother teased.

"Ma!" Natsuki yelped.

A deep, groggy chuckle hit her ears. "I just hope she's a nice girl. I'll be expecting to meet her soon."

"Mama, we're not even dating. I'm not even sure we're friends."

"Then why did you almost lose control?"

"Because she was being molested by a jerk!" Even as the words left her mouth, Natsuki was sure that they were untrue. Or at the very least, they were nowhere near the whole sorted story.

Another laugh. "Ah-ha. Sounds to me like you want to be more than friends, maybe even more than dating. Once again, I hope she's a nice girl and I do expect to meet her soon."

Natsuki sighed and just gave up. "Okay, Mama. I'll see what I can do about that. After I figure out what we are to each other anyway."

"All right, Natsuki-chan. Can I go back to sleep now?"

"Night, Ma. Sorry I woke you up with this."

"It's fine. Good night, Natsuki-chan."

The call was disconnected. Natsuki sighed again and ran her hand through her hair again, but she felt better. She stood up and stretched, going to take a shower. _More than friends? More than dating?_ She smiled on her way to the bathroom.

Shizuru kept a keen eye on the entrance to the main hall. She was waiting for one person to step through. She had been waiting for that person for the last seven days, ever since that abominable incident with Tomoe! She had even been tempted to ask Mai or Takumi about their friend, but she remembered that Natsuki did not want the siblings to know she had been in the club. Besides, she did not want to risk upsetting Natsuki if the biker did not want to see her again.

Every second of the past week, she kept replaying those few minutes of the incident in her mind. The way Tomoe touched her and the way that Natsuki reacted. She feared that Natsuki might have believed that little game Tomoe played. Natsuki might believe that she actually allowed Tomoe to take her upstairs. If that was the case, Natsuki would probably never be back.

A hand went to her heart and clutched her chest. Intense pressure and pain rocketed through her at the thought of never seeing Natsuki again. She never felt this way about a person before and she was not sure why Natsuki had such a power over her. It only bothered her because she feared that she would never see Natsuki again.

"I do not know how or when this happened, but she somehow crawled inside of me and is part of me. If I never see her again, it would be like losing a piece of myself. It would be like being torn apart every second of the day. I wouldn't be able to function properly if I continued to feel this way. How could something like this happen so quickly? And if she is a piece of me, am I a piece of her? If that is the case, then there should be no way that she could believe Tomoe. Natsuki just could not believe the worst of me from a total stranger. I know she has more faith in me than that," Shizuru assured herself, still holding onto her chest with the hope that it would ease the agony in her body.

Taking a deep breath, Shizuru attempted to compose herself. Quietly, she promised herself that her logic was sound and Natsuki would return to her. They would be able to talk about what happened and everything would be fine. She needed to believe that or anxiety would devour her from the inside out. The emotions that Natsuki left inside of her would hollow her out if she believed that Natsuki had actually abandoned her.

"Natsuki…" Shizuru whispered, putting her arms around herself. She could not go on feeling as she did, she knew that much. So, she would give Natsuki some time, but after that, she would do everything in her power to find the younger woman. No matter what.

"Just a warning," Anh hummed in Shizuru's ear as she came up behind her good friend.

"Tomoe again?" Shizuru asked with a sigh as she turned around to face the older woman.

"She's brought an entire crew with her this time. She was hoping that you would set up a party room for her," Anh explained.

Shizuru craned an eyebrow. "She told you this?"

"She's telling everyone this. As she walks around looking for you, all she keeps talking about is how she's going to have a party with Shizuru-onee-sama," Anh answered with a shrug.

Shizuru sighed again, shoulders dropping, and glanced at the main entrance. "I suppose I could do that for her if that is what she wants, but I am not staying long with her."

Anh smiled. "In order to keep up the vigil for the adorable Na-tsu-ki-chan?" she asked, dragging out Natsuki's name.

Shizuru actually frowned as she folded her arms across her chest. "Don't you have better things to do with your time, Anh?"

The taller brunette smiled, but returned to her duties. It just did not feel right to tease her lovesick friend, not while Shizuru was not sure if Natsuki would return. Now, if things worked out between Shizuru and Natsuki, then she could tease the hell out of Shizuru later on!

Shizuru sighed hopelessly, feeling pings of guilt and pain as she abandoned her watch for Natsuki and crossed the floor to greet Tomoe. The green-haired girl latched onto her the moment that she was within an arm's length. Shizuru took a deep breath, and then threw on a bright smile, acting as if nothing made her happier than to see Tomoe. This was for work, after all, she reminded herself.

"Shizuru-onee-sama, I was telling my friends here that you could arrange a party for us in one of the rooms. The finest champagne, the best food, the works!" Tomoe requested.

"Then I shall prepare one of the party rooms for you now," Shizuru replied, smiling as if she thought that this was a brilliant idea.

Tomoe pressed herself closer to the older woman. "I was hoping that we could go upstairs."

A frown almost marred Shizuru's face, but she laughed it off. The giggle sounded silly to her ears, but she doubted that Tomoe or the rest of her party noticed. "You know I don't go upstairs and it's not designed for parties. There are party rooms of different sizes in the back with thick walls to block out the sounds of the main hall and plenty of places for you to relax and have a delightful experience," she explained. "How many do you have with you?" she asked, glancing around. It seemed that there were two young women with Tomoe, but there also seemed to be ten gentlemen with them. For some reason, this struck Shizuru as unusual and she was silently alarmed by it. Maybe it was because this was the first time that Tomoe brought so many people with her or maybe just because the gentlemen did not seem to taking in the atmosphere of the club as a normal person would have done. Whatever the case may be, instinctively, she knew that she would have to be careful.

"There are thirteen of us, not counting me. I promised my friends a fantastic night out. Don't make a liar out of me, please, Shizuru-onee-sama?" Tomoe purred, rubbing her cheek against Shizuru's shoulder.

The brunette sighed again, but continued to play the happy hostess. Mentally, she noted that despite Tomoe's claim of wanting to show her friends a good time, none of the men seemed to eager to do anything. It was so abnormal that she was surprised these men had even gotten by the bouncer. But, then again, they came in with not only a regular, but an exceptionally wealthy regular. Deciding not to think too hard about it, she turned her attention back to her duties. She walked off with Tomoe and the others to show them to a party room. An uneasy feeling built and collided in Shizuru's chest, but she ignored it for now because she knew that Tomoe was harmless.

-8-8-8-8-

Stepping off of her bike, Natsuki turned her attention to the club that she forced herself to go back to. She had not been able to get Shizuru off of her mind and she wanted to talk about what happened last week. She did not have a suitable explanation for her behavior, but she was sure something was better than avoiding the tawny-haired woman for the rest of her life. Her heart clenched just from the thought of never seeing Shizuru again, so that was not an option. No, she figured flowers and candy would have to do in lieu of a half-decent explanation. As she was about to retrieve those items from the storage space on her bike, her attention was grabbed by something more pressing.

Lifting her head, Natsuki scanned the parking lot. Instantly, she spotted Tomoe with a large group of men. A growl escaped her before she even had a clue as to what was going on. Once she learned what was going on, her eyes widened with fear as the group disappeared into the club. For a moment, Natsuki stood dumbstruck and then her eyes narrowed as she possessed with purpose and fury.

Natsuki cursed as she ran to the door of the Obsidian Den. She was stopped by the bouncer for a moment, but she did not have time for the self-important, loud jerk that did not seem to remember that she had been to the club several times before. The bouncer was surprised that milliseconds after putting her hands on Natsuki, she found her butt meeting the sidewalk and Natsuki was bolting into the place as if she was trying to save the world.

The biker ran into the main hall and scanned the hall rapidly, hoping to find Shizuru. There was no sign of her, though. A growl escaped her throat and she felt pressure building in her chest. Before she totally lost control, Anh popped up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Don't do that!" Natsuki yelped as she turned to see Anh giggling.

"I couldn't help it. You seemed so preoccupied. I take it you're looking for Shizuru?" Anh guessed, smiling because she knew just how elated Shizuru would be to see the shorter female.

"Yeah, I am. Where is she? She didn't go anywhere with Tomoe, did she?" Natsuki begged to know, making a fist while she spoke.

"She went to a party room with Tomoe. You know you shouldn't be jealous. Tomoe is work for Shizuru—" Anh tried to explain.

"I know that! I could see how freaking disgusted Shizuru was with her before, but this doesn't have anything to do with it. I saw Tomoe and her goons in the damned parking lot," Natsuki said.

"And?" Anh inquired with a raised eyebrow. She hoped nothing horrible was about to happen.

Natsuki paused for a moment, wondering how she could explain what the problem was without giving herself away. "Look, the dudes had bulges in their jackets that had nothing to do with why guys usually have bulges when they come in here. Plus, I heard Tomoe saying something about making Shizuru hers."

Anh frowned, but waved the words off. "Tomoe says things like that all the time. Are you sure about the bulges? Usually the bouncer catches that sort of thing right away. I'll go get one of them."

"I don't have time for this! I need to check on Shizuru!"

Natsuki was gone before Anh could say another word. Anh called after her, but Natsuki did not respond, even though the older woman was trying to point out that Natsuki did not know where she was going. Yet, for some reason, the biker did seem to know exactly where she was going, running past the stage to get to the party rooms.

Natsuki came to a halt as a man was blocking her path. He was standing in front of a dark hallway with disco lights and deafeningly loud music blaring in the corridor. A snarl tugged at her lip since he was not moving. Dangerous emerald eyes ordered him to move, but he did not yield.

"I'm not supposed to let anyone back there right now," the man informed her.

"Look, get out of my way or I'll throw you out of my way," Natsuki growled, her voice deeper than usual.

"No one—" He did not get to finish that. She grabbed him by the collar, fingernails tearing through the cloth of his suit jacket, and flung him out of the way as if he was a doll.

"I'm coming, Shizuru," Natsuki declared.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the end.


	5. Alpha

I don't own these characters; Sunrise does.

5: Alpha

Shizuru led Tomoe and her group to the first party room in the back of the club. There was something off about not-so-merry band. Tomoe seemed peculiar than usual, smiling like a succubus that spotted her next meal. The rest of the clique was questionable, especially the ten men. The two girls seemed to be there just as a front as far as Shizuru was concerned. The men were a different story, though. They were dressed respectable enough, wearing tailor-made suits, all of which were black. Their stern expressions were out of place for the club. The fact that they focused ahead made them seem more like bodyguards, which would make sense for Tomoe...if she had ever shown up with guards before. Tomoe also had not bothered to explain who the gentlemen were, acting as if they were her guests. The way Tomoe handled them was just suspicious.

With each step that she took with the large crew, Shizuru's heart beat just a little faster and nerves began bothering her. It was a bizarre feeling that she could not fully comprehend, but she was certain that she was anxious over being with these people. Again, it was more the men than anything else that made her suspicious. Their reactions or lack there of to what was happening in the club and how they focused ahead made no sense to her. Once more, she considered that they might be bodyguards; Tomoe was a heiress, after all. That possibility was not easing her growing distress, though.

As butterflies seemed to multiply in her stomach, Shizuru actually considered turning around and delegating the task to someone else. Of course, that would upset Tomoe and probably cause some trouble, but even she was making Shizuru desire to run. There was something about the way that the green-haired heiress was clutched onto her arm; it seemed tighter than usual. It was as if Tomoe had captured her, she thought. That belief was only blustered when Tomoe looked up at her and there seemed to be something beyond mischievous dancing in her eyes. Shizuru's heart beat just a little bit heavier.

"We're going to have so much fun, Shizuru-onee-sama!" Tomoe proclaimed with a grin that sort of crawled onto her face.

"I should hope so," Shizuru answered with forced smile. She hoped the smile was one of her usual ones and did not make her discomfort obvious. The thought to bolt off and return to her "Natsuki watch" continued to weigh on her as she walked the slowest she had in her life.

"This party is going to be sweet," Tomoe said, expression still troubling to her guide...or possible captive.

The more Shizuru thought about it, the more trapped she felt. It was like the men were surrounding her, pressing her, making sure she could not go anywhere. Yes, they were spaced apart where it seemed normal, but she could tell otherwise. She was confident that she could make it back to the main hall if she truly wanted to. The thought was very tempting, in fact. Yet, she pressed on, considering that her earlier depression might somehow be effecting her thinking. She was not sure why pining for Natsuki would make her uncomfortable with Tomoe, but it was the best that she could come up with for the uneasy feeling. Besides, running would be strange now since they were at the party rooms.

The five large party rooms were down a black hallway and Shizuru felt like the corridor had swallowed her. The darkness felt consuming and invading. For a moment, she actually trembled while reaching for the latch to the slide the door open. Suddenly, a flash of light brought her out of that odd revelry.

There were flashes of light and blaring music for effect in the rooms. Of course, the rooms were sound-proof too, so no one party ruined another. The rooms were available to any patron with at least ten people and willing to pay for food and drinks. Company was not mandatory, but most patrons liked to have their favorite companions brought in too. Tomoe seemed to just want Shizuru there because she did not request any other companions. This just made the uneasy feeling that Shizuru had grow. As far as she was concerned, she was alone with Tomoe.

Inside of the room, Tomoe and her party made themselves comfortable on the leather couches and posh divans that were around the room. There was chilled champagne already in there and the food was brought seconds after they all sat down. The rich meal was laid out on several low tables. Shizuru tried to keep track of where Tomoe's people were moving around the room, but found it difficult since Tomoe was demanding her attention with wanton caresses. For the first time, Shizuru was not able to block out how disgusted she felt from being pawed at by the younger woman. _I want to leave here. I want to be with my Natsuki_.

"You must know how much I want you, Shizuru-onee-sama," Tomoe whispered into Shizuru's ear. She then nipped the earlobe so temptingly close to her lips.

Shizuru grinned while discreetly swallowing to keep down the bile rising in her throat. "Ara, ara, Tomoe-chan certainly is eager. But, we have all night for those sorts of antics," she pointed out. She hoped that she could get Tomoe drunk enough to just have the girl pass out before the younger woman got anymore demanding. If not, she would tell the green-haired girl in no uncertain terms that she was not for sale. She was not a companion and she definitely was not going to do anything beyond her job for money.

"I want to do it all night," Tomoe growled into Shizuru's ear before actually licking the older woman's cheek.

Shizuru damn near gulped and fought against the urge to wipe her face. For the moment, she did not want to insult Tomoe, doing her best to remain professional; as far as professional went with her vocation anyway. She always knew that one day Tomoe would start acting on her desires, especially since Shizuru had strung her along for months now. Unfortunately, unlike most people around the club, Tomoe did not seem to realize that it was an act whenever Shizuru was with her. Tomoe seemed under the impression that Shizuru gave her attention freely and willingly, not because the club offered a bit of fantasy to whoever could afford it.

"I've been saving myself for you, Shizuru-onee-sama," Tomoe said, pressing herself against the tawny-haired manager. She ran her hands up and down the older woman's sides.

"Tomoe-chan, I couldn't…not with so many people around," Shizuru said coyly, going so far as to force a blush to her cheeks. She prayed that would buy her some time. _I need to think of some way out of this without costing the club a valued, yet quite delusional, customer_.

Tomoe nodded and turned to her guests. "Out!" she commanded, a vicious, threatening look on her face.

Shizuru's heart sank as Tomoe's party filed out of the room with that simple word, not even protesting. It seemed expected almost. She turned to look at Tomoe and saw a glint in her eyes that told her it more than likely was expected. It was then that Shizuru realized that she had been set up. _Damn it!_

"Tomoe—" Shizuru tried to say something, but she was cut off by the green-haired female.

"There are no more excuses, Shizuru-onee-sama! You're going to do exactly as I say," Tomoe ordered and then she directed crimson eyes to a pair of men standing guard at the door. She also motioned to the two men positioned behind Shizuru. She stared Shizuru down, smirking to show that she was in full control of the situation. "Do you need to see why you are going to do exactly as I say?" the younger woman asked. The men put their hands in their jackets, suggesting just why it was in Shizuru's best interest to do what Tomoe said.

Shizuru forced out a brilliant smile. She then gracefully held her hands in front of her as she often did, wanting to appear normal. "Of course not, Tomoe-chan. All you need do is ask me for what you want," she lied in a cheery tone. She just needed to buy some time until she could get out of the room without ending up injured or dead.

"Good. Now, the first thing I want you to do is open that bag down by your feet," Tomoe said, motioning to one of guards. He leaned forward and dropped a small duffel bag at Shizuru's feet.

The older woman nodded and picked up the bag. She wondered what it contained, but guessed that it had something to do with whatever Tomoe had planned for their time together. Placing the bag in her lap, she unzipped it and gasped. It was full of toys—and not the kind she expected to see in a sex club.

"What do you want me to do, Tomoe-chan?" Shizuru asked, trying to keep an odd tremble out of her voice. Her eyebrows were hidden underneath her bangs, but were curled up in distinct confusion. The happy grin on Tomoe's face did not help clear matters up. _What kind of kink is this girl into?_

-8-8-8-8-

Natsuki snorted, blowing out heavy air that was visible as she made her down the dark hallway. Panting, her mouth open and teeth on display, she scanned the hall, eyes starting to glow. Her hands were tensed and her fingers all spread far and bent. She was able to clearly make out two large figures yards away from her, one in front of a room and the other across from him in front of another room. Natsuki went directly to her left, totally ignoring the man on her right.

"Move," Natsuki ordered, her voice completely unrecognizable. It was only a growl, barely understandable.

"I'm not allowed to let anyone in there," he informed her, not even bothering to look down at her.

"Move!"

Taking hold of the man's lapels, her sharp nails tore into the cloth and anchored her grip. Natsuki flung him down the hallway and he impacted the solid wall. He hit so hard that it could be heard over the music and shook the building slightly. She did even bother to look, knowing he was unconscious. She reached for the doorknob, but she did not get a chance to turn it as she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Get off!" Natsuki roared, sounding inhuman, kicking the man in the gut and spending him flying back.

His back hit the door that he had been guarding and he went through the wood, hollering in pain from the assault. She went back to the doorknob, ready to rip the door out of the wall now, but was distracted as voices screamed at her to stay away. Listening was not on Natsuki's "to do" list right now, so she proceeded anyway.

Two men tackled her from behind as she entered the room and two others caught her as soon as she crossed the threshold. They piled on her, trying to drag her down to the floor. The snarl that escaped her was downright animalistic and the tension in her face seemed to pull at her skin, making her features seem longer. Her mouth refused to close completely and it almost looked like all of her teeth were pointed. The four men had a problem keeping her down, but they were about to have their problem get much worse in seconds.

"What the hell is going on?" Tomoe demanded to know, her face twisted into an ugly sneer.

Natsuki struggled enough to be able to look up and figure out if she was too late—not that that would mean a damn thing as far as her mission went. It would affect her anger, though, and it damn sure would make for an even more horrible situation for the unlucky bastards holding her down. Blazing green eyes shot over to Tomoe and Shizuru. Tomoe was holding a baby rattle for a reason that Natsuki would never figure out and Shizuru's shirt was open, as was her front-clasp bra.

Natsuki could practically hear Shizuru's heart pounding in her chest from fear and nervousness. She could see the same emotions in those rose red eyes. But, there was also a spark of hope in those eyes. Natsuki would not let her down, she silently vowed. Her attention turned to Tomoe and she could smell the desire from the younger woman. The scent assaulted her worse than any man could.

"BASTARDS!" Natsuki hollered at the top of her lungs, sounding like she was howling at the end of the word.

She flung the four men off of her as if they were throw pillows. Pushing up from the floor, she rocketed off, hitting Tomoe like a cannonball. She tackled the girl so fast that it looked like Tomoe disappeared and reappeared at the back of the room, being slammed into the thick wall. Tomoe was pinned there by a crushing grip from Natsuki. The green-haired girl did not even know what was going on. The pain did not even register yet as the pale hand clutched her windpipe.

"Who the hell told you to touch _my_ Shizuru?" Natsuki demanded, growling in the end and showing off an impressive set of sharp, elongated canine teeth.

Tomoe could only gag, the pressure on her throat too much for words to work around. Her eyes bulged with agony and fear. Natsuki could smell her nervousness and panic, feeling her pulse pounding against her palm. But, there was still that linger aroma of Tomoe's desire that was driving Natsuki out of her mind. Tomoe grabbed at the hand, trying to get the madwoman holding her to let go. Her attempt was futile, finding the strength too much. Opening her mouth, she seemed to be trying to speak, but again, found it impossible to do so.

Natsuki did not care for the answer to her question. It did not matter anyway. She only squeezed tighter, wanting to end the girl in her grips thanks to her rage and what she viewed as disrespect to her and to Shizuru. She probably never would have let go, even if Tomoe died in her arms, but a shot rang out in the room. The blaring sound echoed off the walls, sounding as if it was a canon going off. The noise barely hit the sensitive ears of the biker, but the sound was not the thing that matered. Natsuki fell back against the wall, releasing Tomoe as she toppled over.

"Natsuki!" Shizuru screamed, moving to help the biker. One of the men grabbed her as soon as she was up. She struggled against him, but he put an end to that by putting his gun to her head.

"Shut up!" he ordered, gripping Shizuru harshly around the arm. If she was lucky, she would get out the situation with just the bruise on her arm, she thought.

A dark, deep chuckle from the other end of the room caught their attention. Natsuki put her head up, revealing the coldest green eyes anyone in the room would ever see. A bent smile adorned her face, showing off what looked suspiciously like fangs. The expression also seemed to pull at her face even more. Her hair seemed to be standing on end as if electrically charged. A pale, crooked hand with long nails clutched her shoulder, scarlet poured out in between her fingers.

"I'll cut your fucking hands off before I let you touch her," Natsuki informed him with a deadly seriousness to her voice that made everyone pause for a moment.

"Oh, yeah? Well, what if I just shoot this bitch right now?" he declared, trying his best to look haughty, but there was something about Natsuki's expression and tone that made him want to piss his pants.

A snort was the only indication that Natsuki heard and then she was up. She hit him just like she hit Tomoe, but with even more force. Shizuru yelped as she hit the ground, banging the back of her head on a low table. Her vision was a little fuzzy for a moment, but she made sure to stay conscious because of everything that was going on. Her brain worked with her, remaining functioning in case Natsuki needed her or if the circumstances got worse.

"What did you do to me?" the man shrieked as he climbed to his feet. A bloody torso greeted all those that looked upon him. Slash marks cut across his chest, through his suit, and clearly through his flesh. Near his neck, millimeters from the jugular, there appeared to be teeth marks in his flesh, like he had been bitten.

Natsuki stood up, pale fingers dripping with blood as if she dipped them into crimson paint. There was also blood smeared on her mouth, hanging from her lips. All the of the men and Tomoe stared in disbelief, but the men instinctively pointed their guns at her. Tomoe crawled over to Shizuru. The biker did not even seem to notice the weapons, tracking Tomoe's movement with sharp green eyes.

"Get away from her!" Natsuki roared.

"She's mine," Tomoe declared as she wrapped herself around the back of Shizuru, making sure that her hands clutched onto Shizuru's breasts.

"Natsuki, behind you!" Shizuru pointed to the danger creeping up on the biker.

The ebony-haired woman turned just in time avoid getting shot and out of the corner of her eye she could see Shizuru trying to untangle herself from Tomoe. Natsuki could not take the sight of Tomoe pawing at Shizuru and she knew that if she and Shizuru were going to make out of there alive, she needed to do something.

"Let her goooooo!" Natsuki released a long howl, as if frightening away all of the energy in the room.

The most incredible thing then happened. The very air around everyone felt charged with electricity, which then seemed to gather around Natsuki before being sucked into her entire being. Natsuki's hair grew longer, not just on her head, but all over her body. Her body bulked up, tearing through her clothing. All of her muscles became thicker and larger. Her face elongated, her nose growing longer until it was a muzzle, like a dog's nose. Her eyes glowed a pure, hot white as her fingernails turned to sharp claws and her feet changed into paws. It was then they all realized that Natsuki transformed into a massive onyx-colored werewolf right before their eyes.

Shizuru could not believe what she was seeing and was almost certain that she hit her head much harder than she suspected. This had to be some sort of nightmare, she thought. Natsuki could not possibly be some giant monster! She did not have time to formulate more thoughts on the matter as the huge beast moved. It seemed like it was all fur, teeth, and claws as it struck out at men in the room, snarling and howling as it moved.

Everything that happened after that was pretty much a blur. Shizuru was able to get Tomoe off of her, several shots rang out through the room, Shizuru was able to take down one of the men, and then everything went black for her. The saying was true: you never hear the one that gets you.

-8-8-8-8-

Green eyes fluttered open, taking in a familiar white ceiling. A groan escaped a dry throat and chapped lips. Every muscle seemed to throb dully, going in time with a steady heartbeat. Natsuki pushed herself up to rest against her pillows. Her eyes closed as her hands labored to move as they slowly went to hold her head to make sure her temples did not fly across the room, like it felt like they were trying to do. If her headache got any worse, she thought that her whole skull might explode. She could only think of a few times that came close to the torment that she was currently feeling.

"Is Natsuki awake?" Shizuru called from outside of the bedroom. Natsuki could not figure where in the apartment Shizuru might be.

"Yeah," the biker croaked out. Blinking hard, she hoped it would help clear her head. No such luck. "I think…" She was not totally sure she was alive, so she was not too certain that she was awake. It certainly seemed like she should be dreaming if Shizuru was in her apartment. But, then again, there was no way that she would be in such pain if it were all a dream.

The door was nudged open and Shizuru entered with a tray in her hands. She was wearing nothing more than one of Natsuki's tee-shirts, showing off fantastic legs. For a second, Natsuki's baser instincts took over and she imagined those legs locked around her neck.

"How's your shoulder feeling?" the older woman asked curiously, crimson eyes focusing on Natsuki's prone form. The question took Natsuki's mind from the gutter.

"Shoulder?" The question came out as if she did not know what such a thing was. Natsuki glanced down, remembering that she had been shot last night—a direct hit to the right shoulder. The area was covered in a white bandage for a reason that she could not recall. _Shizuru might have done that, not knowing I wouldn't need it_. Raising her hand and giving one good yank, she tore the bandage away.

"You shouldn't—" Shizuru tried to protest, but the shorter woman was already done.

"It's fine. Trust me." Natsuki was not surprised to find the wound gone since she healed pretty quickly when she was in her wolf form. She turned her attention to Shizuru, who eyed her shoulder before strawberry irises focused on her face. "How's your head? I bandaged it up good last night?" the biker inquired with soft concern.

Shizuru nodded, tapping the bandage around her head. "Natsuki took very good care of me," she replied, placing the tray in front of Natsuki. She propped it up on the short legs, making sure it was sturdy. It was not just bandaging her head, but also the bruise on her arm was taken care of thanks to Natsuki.

"Um…that's good. I'm a little fuzzy on what happened last night. I let my emotions get to me…" Natsuki admitted, eyes downward and shame coloring her cheeks.

The older woman eased in next to Natsuki on the bed, their bare arms brushing against each other. Natsuki's cheeks colored more and then she blinked hard. Cautiously and rather shyly, she glanced over at Shizuru. She remembered not too long ago, Shizuru had been in that same spot, sleeping peacefully, cuddled up against her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Natsuki felt like she should say something, but she did not know what to say.

"Natsuki, you should eat," Shizuru gently urged the younger woman, reaching out and running her fingers up and down the biker's arm.

Natsuki nodded; she was starving. Shizuru had served her a simple hot porridge, but that was good enough for her, especially since she could barely boil water on her own. She bypassed the spoon and slurped right from the bowl, drinking the whole thing down in one breath. She sighed when she was done and noticed out of the corner of her eye, Shizuru was smiling.

"Um…it was good…" Natsuki muttered, eyes again down and searching the bedding. "Thanks…"

"It was no trouble. I was very happy to cook for Natsuki. Although, now I suppose I should have made more," Shizuru commented with a small smile, glancing at the clean, empty bowl.

"Sorry…it's just…"

"I know, high metabolism. I suppose I understand why now," Shizuru said softly. Her tone was very understanding.

Natsuki laughed uncomfortably. "Uh…yeah…takes a lot of energy to…um…yeah…"

"Natsuki," Shizuru said, taking the pale female's hand in hers. She paused and glanced down at their hands, slightly amused to see that her hand was actually bigger than Natsuki's. Interlacing their fingers, she held onto Natsuki's hand tightly. Little did she know, but the gesture said more than any words could. "It's fine," Shizuru promised strongly.

"It is?" the biker asked in a shaky tone.

There was a solid nod. "It is. I still like Natsuki very much."

Natsuki's eyes went wide. "You do?" Her voice trembled even more than before.

"Natsuki, you rushed into a dangerous situation and revealed a deep secret that could have possibly scared the hell out of me, just to save my life, or at the least my virtue. I just…I wish I could tell how you that makes me feel, but there aren't any words to express it. I feel as if I am…special to you…"

"You are," Natsuki insisted before she had a chance to think about what she was saying. A blush invaded her cheeks as soon as she realized what she said, but she knew it was true. "I've never lost it like that for anyone, Shizuru. I always try to keep perfect control, but seeing her touch you like that…against your wishes and against your will…forcing you to…and those men endangering your life…I couldn't help myself…"

"And it's fine, Natsuki," Shizuru repeated, feeling it was safe to curl up just a little closer to the biker. She put her free hand on Natsuki's abdomen and unconsciously rubbed Natsuki's belly. "You are special to me too. I am more than glad to have you in my life."

Natsuki smiled from the caress and those words. She brought her hand up to cradle Shizuru's head against her shoulder. She was careful of the bandages on Shizuru's injured head. Thanks to all of the adrenaline and other hormones pumping through her body last night, what happened was sort of a blur to Natsuki, but she did remember the moment Shizuru got her injury. A shot sounded through the room and the tawny-haired woman fell. Natsuki feared that Shizuru was dead, so she acted quickly to just get Shizuru out of there. She scooped Shizuru up in her arms and charged through anyone or thing in her way. She was not even sure if they followed her or not, not paying attention to anything behind her. Once they were outside, she saw that the bullet only grazed Shizuru in the space between her head and her ear. Because of that, she took Shizuru home with her instead of to a hospital.

"Should you go to a hospital for this?" Natsuki asked, just in case, lightly fingering the bandage on the tanned head.

"No, it's fine. It doesn't even really hurt. I thought you would need the hospital more than I would."

"Um…no. When I'm like that, I heal almost anything pretty fast. It's your head I'm worried about. You sure you don't need to go to the hospital?" the biker asked to be sure.

"I am quite sure. When I felt it, though, I thought I was done for. I think that's why I fainted. All I could think was that I had gotten you involved in this horrible situation and then had the nerve to die on you when you came to clean up my mess."

Natsuki smiled a bit. "There was no way that you knew that would happen. I'm sure you've seen Tomoe dozens of times and she's never done anything like that. The reason I knew was because I noticed the bugles in their jackets…my eyesight is a little better than most people in the dark. I also had the added advantage to smell something off about them. They were sweating too much for men going into a strip club and I could tell it wasn't from anticipation. The hint of gun powder and metal touched my nose too. I even heard some of their conversation from a distance and Tomoe was talking about finally taking you, whether you liked it or not. The men were there to make sure that happened, I guess. But, I only knew because of my advanced senses. So, really, my wolf instincts were the only thing that kept me in the loop."

"Well, either way, thank you for doing such an incredibly brave thing for me, Natsuki."

Natsuki nodded. "I would do anything to keep you safe," she vowed.

Apparently, that honest admission was the right thing to say. Shizuru snuggled up closer to her and Natsuki was able to tell that Shizuru did not fear her at all. Everything was all right, just as Shizuru promised. Taking a deep breath, Natsuki settled back into her space and held Shizuru close.

"I am so glad that Natsuki wandered into the Obsidian Den, even if she was not so interested in me at first," the tawny-haired woman commented in a whisper, hand still lazily caressing Natsuki's stomach.

"Really?" the biker asked, not really skeptical, but incredulous. She could not believe that someone like Shizuru wanted to be with her.

"Hmm…Perhaps I should show Natsuki how grateful I am to have met her."

Poor Natsuki had no idea what Shizuru meant until she seemed to hovering over Natsuki. Shizuru then made it clear as she leaned down quite slowly and her eyes drifted shut as she placed the sweetest, gentlest kiss to Natsuki's waiting lips. While Natsuki was frozen for just a second, her eyes closed too and she reveled in the feel of Shizuru's mouth against her own. Cream-colored arms came up around Shizuru's neck, pulling her closer. Smiling against Natsuki's lips, Shizuru drew back a little to avoid taking the kiss further than she wanted to. Her smile grew as Natsuki's eyes opened at half-mast and she seemed to be in a lovely daze.

"Does that give Natsuki a good idea of how grateful I am?" the older woman asked, appearing quite impish.

"Uh…I think that does," Natsuki answered.

Shizuru put a finger to her chin and seemed to think things over. "I don't know. Natsuki doesn't sound convinced. Perhaps I should do it again."

Natsuki did not object, even though she did blush at the thought of kissing Shizuru again. The club manager leaned down for another tender kiss, which was immediately returned. It lasted a little longer than the first. Shizuru pulled away first again and then settled her head on Natsuki's shoulder.

"Was Natsuki convinced there?"

A small, but confident smile worked its way onto a pale face. "I'm not sure. You might have to do that a few more times."

A delighted laugh escaped Shizuru. "I will do that as often as Natsuki likes," she vowed.

"Are you sure?" Natsuki asked, sounding a bit insecure there. "I mean…You know…I am not normal and everything."

"To me, Natsuki is quite perfect. But, it will obviously take much, much more convincing. I shall oblige."

The biker chuckled a bit, quite pleased that Shizuru was not offended by her. Shizuru expressed her gratitude with a few more kisses before settling in next to Natsuki. They drifted off to sleep after remembering to get the tray off of the bed. Natsuki was awakened by the sound of her door being opened. Immediately, she knew who was there, mostly because of scent. She groaned and rubbed her eyes as she heard familiar footsteps trudging into the apartment.

"Natsuki!" Mai called out, sounding quite upset.

"Shit!" Natsuki hissed, knowing that if the feisty redhead came into the bedroom, she would never hear the end of it. She slid out of bed, careful of not disturbing Shizuru—quite a feat since she had to untangle their limbs.

"Natsuki!" Mai called out again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Natsuki replied, shutting the bedroom door as she exited the room. She silently prayed that Shizuru stayed asleep.

"Natsuki, what the hell did you do last night?" Mai demanded to know as soon as Natsuki was in view. She guessed that her friend was sleeping in since Natsuki was wearing a plain white tee-shirt and sweatpants that she used as pajamas.

The biker stopped in her tracks, seeing that Mai was not the only person that came to pay her a visit. Mai, Takumi, Akira, and Mikoto were all back in her apartment. Nothing good ever happened when they all just showed up. Very quietly, she gulped and considered how she could possibly escape the situation with her sanity in tact.

"Last night, at the Obsidian Den, there was gunfire in the back rooms and a lot of injured people claimed a wolf-girl was the reason for it. Thankfully, no one believed them because no one believes in werewolves, but I happen to know one and she also happens to be a girl. I also recognize your claw and bite marks and there were plenty of those to go around as people from the back rooms filed out of the place. What were you doing at the Obsidian Den?" Mai demanded again, glaring at her friend and pointing a very authoritative finger. Natsuki was happy that finger was not loaded.

"Um…" Natsuki rubbed the back of her head. "Would you believe some other wolf-girl did it?" she asked shyly with an awkward half-smirk. It was worth a shot; she was not the only werewolf on the planet, after all.

"Natsuki," the redhead said in a stern voice. She was backed up by a deep glare from her brother. Natsuki gulped, not used to being in the metaphoric doghouse with Takumi as well as with Mai.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Natsuki put her hands out in surrender. "The truth is…I changed by accident?" She wanted to slap herself in the forehead with how stupid that sounded. She had known Mai for years and Mai had known she was a werewolf for almost just as long. The last time she had accidentally completely changed was when she was in diapers. Yes, she had a few slips every now and then, but never a total transformation.

"Natsuki, you will tell me the truth now. What were you doing at the Obsidian Den?" Mai ordered, pointing at Natsuki in a manner that made the older girl flinch.

Natsuki could only wonder when Mai had become the dominant force in their group, but she knew that sometimes the fiery redhead was damned scary. On occasion, if Mai was angry enough or felt like Natsuki had messed up enough, she could actually make Natsuki cower. Such behavior tickled Natsuki's parents, but perplexed and occasionally troubled Natsuki.

"Ara, ara, perhaps I could answer that one," Shizuru commented as she came up behind Natsuki and wrapped her arms around the slightly shorter woman.

Mai's expression fell from furious to shocked and Takumi mouth pretty much hit the floor. Akira and Mikoto did not know what was going on, but they were just shocked that Natsuki actually had company. They did not even know the biker knew people aside from them, let alone knew a girl well enough to have her in the bedroom, wearing only a tee-shirt at that!

"Fujino-san, what're you doing here? Anh-san was looking for you all last night!" Mai pointed out.

Shizuru let loose a very dramatic sigh and went so far as to put her hand to her forehead as if she were going to faint. "I suppose I am a bad supervisor, leaving all of the work to Anh. How were things last night after all of the unpleasantness?" she asked curiously. She was not surprised by Mai's formal address toward her while informally using Anh's given name. Anh often insisted upon it and her teasing was beyond merciless if her wishes were not adhered to.

"Anh-san was able to handle things, but she was very worried about you. She thought you might have been injured by the gunfire because you were in one of the back rooms. By the looks of it, she was right," Mai explained, motioning to Shizuru's head with her hand.

"Natsuki was brave enough to save me from serious injury from the men that caused the gunfire," Shizuru said, pressing herself against the biker a little more. This earned what suspiciously sounded like whimper from Natsuki. Her friends obviously heard because they all eyed her strangely for a moment, but then Mai picked right back up on the matter at hand.

"Okay, what happened exactly?" Mai inquired. "And Natsuki how do you know my boss?" Her attention was back to her friend and she looked down right suspicious of the ebony-haired biker.

"Uh…look, Mai, I don't wanna lie to you…" Natsuki trailed off, not intending to say anything more than that apparently.

"Natsuki, be honest with your friend," Shizuru said, gently patting Natsuki on the upper arm. Really, her hand wanted to go much lower than that, but she doubted it would be good to embarrass the shorter woman anymore than she had.

Natsuki sighed. "Fine, not like she could get anymore pissed with me anyway. Mai, I met Shizuru when I went up to the Obsidian Den to check it out." That was enough truth; after all, Mai knew about her first trip up there.

"You picked up a girl at a strip club?" Akira asked in disbelief.

"It's not like she's a stripper or anything! She's a supervisor!" Natsuki huffed, snorting through her nose.

"Fuijino-san, I think you should call Anh-san to let her know you're all right. She was almost frantic last night while she was getting everyone else out of the building because she couldn't find you," Mai explained. Natsuki noted that she seemed to be off of the hook, but she was not going to breathe a sigh of relief until her friends were out of the apartment.

Shizuru nodded. "I'll call her immediately. Do you know what happened to the gun men?"

Takumi chimed in. "They were all arrested for carrying illegal weapons, endangering the public, and a host of other charges."

"Was a green-haired girl arrested with them?" Natsuki asked.

"Yes," he confirmed with a nod.

Natsuki grinned. "Good."

Mai's gaze narrowed in on the biker. "Natsuki, you still owe us an explanation as to what happened."

"Right, right, right. Uh…" Natsuki tried to figure out how to tell what happened without making it seem like Shizuru was a stripper or prostitute or something else like that. Once she figured out how to do that, the rest of the story was easy. Mai and Takumi backed her up on the fact that Shizuru was the manager too and they were somewhat familiar with her personality, so that was a plus. Thankfully, by the end of whole sorted tale, Mai was no longer upset. But, she was in mother-hen mode.

"You two should be in bed after such an ordeal! Fujino-san, you really should go to a doctor to get your wound looked at!" Mai gently commanded them.

Natsuki rolled her eyes while Shizuru appeared quite amused by Mai's actions. Eventually, Natsuki was able to coax her friends out of the apartment, after talking Mai into making food anyway. Well, it did not take much cajoling since Mai was certain food would help them both recover. Since rest would also help the recovery, it was easy for Natsuki to get her friends to leave without a fuss from any of them. She and Shizuru curled up on the sofa while Shizuru contacted Anh to find out what happened at the club and what was going to happen. She cuddled into the biker when the phone call was over.

"So, Tomoe and all of her friends were arrested and since it's the weekend, they can't make bail until Monday. She thinks it might be a good idea for me to take some time off while this is going on, even though Tomoe is being banned from the club for the rest of her life," Shizuru reported.

Natsuki nodded. "Good idea. I'd like you where I can keep an eye on you," she said, pulling Shizuru closer to her.

The club manager laughed. "I think that I'll keep an eye on you." She wrapped her arms around the biker and caressed her stomach. "This gives me a chance to cook for you like I promised."

"And gives me time to prep you because my mom wants to meet you," Natsuki added.

Shizuru chuckled again, but she stayed and that was good enough for Natsuki. Through it all, Shizuru stayed. And through it all, Natsuki supported Shizuru, even when she went back to work at the Obsidian Den, and especially when she quit in order to go back to school. She even supported Shizuru when Shizuru decided to open a restaurant and a "gentleman's club." She just never looked at the stage.

-8-8-8-8-

The end.

Thanks for reading my story. I am returning to my padded cell for now. Hopefully, there are more stories to come.


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